Killers
by PandoraBoxx777
Summary: Team Eight was the strongest team of the Rookie Nine. While everyone was working on getting stronger and working on becoming unstoppable, Team Eight had become stronger and became undefeated… and so they were to be feared. Rated M for dark, mature themes
1. Chapter 1

**Hello and welcome to my new story. Admittedly, I am nervous about starting this story. I hope that it's as good as I plan for it to be, if maybe better. This story is about the rest of the Rookie Nine coming to find out that Team Eight were the strongest of them in a different way.**

 **I totally agree with the theory/prompt, since Team Eight are usually made out as weirdos or the quiet ones or even the weakest of all Rookie Nine; which I do not believe is true since they are just as capable and strong as the others. In my personal opinion I think that Team Eight, being a team of tracker nin, would be the most effective team in killing and interrogation since they are on a time limit to capture (or save) their target and they have to gather information to make their mission more successful whatever the case may be. They do not have time to be nice about death or fight long battles lasting hours or even a few minutes.**

 **Team Eight are a team of effective finders, information extractors and executioners. They are not forceful powerhouses like Team Seven or destructive dis tractors like Team Ten or powerful close-quarter fighters like Team Gai. Team Eight are more than that.**

 **Before I get anymore passionate about my favorite team I would like you all to know that this story was inspired by a one-shot I came across a few days ago (that I totally fell in love with) called _Underdogs_ written by _Hannahmayski._** **The story is very well written and she has other stories you might be interested in so please check the author and the one-shot out!**

 **Without further adieu, here is the opening chapter for Killers**

 **Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of its other name rights. Happy Reading!**

* * *

Team Eight was the strongest team of the Rookie Nine. While everyone was working on getting stronger and working on becoming unstoppable, Team Eight had become stronger and became undefeated…

Kurenai Yuhi was their teacher, the leader. She was compassionate and strict and enticing. She enjoyed dancing and going out to drink with her best friend, Anko, who was a terrible influence. Everyone saw an alluring uptight tease who could only use genjutsu and was otherwise useless. Everyone saw what she wanted them to see and so they underestimated her prowess as a kunoichi and most importantly, her ability.

But when it was time for her to lead, she was powerful and unmoving. She became loose and something more savage than anyone was used to seeing. Her ruby eyes then looked as red as the blood she spilled so carelessly on herself and they realized she was unbeatable. She mercilessly casted genjutsu over genjutsu until her opponents' minds were shattered completely and they became insane. She orchestrated many illusions which resulted into mass suicides and even more massive massacres. She watched as screams pierced the air and enemies fell to the ground in agony, their eyes bloodshot and their bodies convulsing. She had watched in interest as their blood stained her clothes and skin until they stopped moving. She surveyed her work with a dangerous gleam in her eyes and a slight crazed smile on her face. She was a killer.

* * *

Kiba Inuzuka was their powerhouse, the one-man army. He was strong and arrogant and loud mouthed. He enjoyed training with his massive ninja dog, Akamaru, and eating jerky until he was sick. Everyone saw an unintelligent, noisy, big-mouth who wasn't ever taken seriously. Everyone else saw what he wanted them to see and so they underestimated his intelligence and most importantly, his ability.

But when it was time for him to fight, he was unlike anything they had ever seen before. His happy-go-lucky grin turned into something sinister, something to be feared. He became cold and focused, and would study his opponent before sharpening his claws and charging with Akamaru right beside him. He was unmatched and quickly did away with his enemies. He fought until there was no one else standing and destroyed anyone who stood in his way; and after the battle was won, he would be coated in so much blood, that it nearly intoxicated him. He turned into something inhuman and he did so with a feral grin on his lips, blood on his tongue and a deep growl in his throat. He was a killer.

* * *

Shino Aburame was their brains, the silent trapper. He was cold and analytical and so silent that people would often forget he was there beside them. He enjoyed searching for new species of bug and was fiercely protective of all bug life, going as far as to threaten others with harm if they were careless or cruel. Everyone saw a creepy, overlooked loner who couldn't possibly have any real potential in anything else. Everyone else saw what he wanted them to see, and so they underestimated his potential, and most importantly, his ability.

But when it was time for him to strategize, he was definitely a force to be reckoned with. He used his natural silence to disappear and hide in the shadows, so well in fact that he could be mistaken for a Nara. There was an eerie gleam in those glasses that hid him from prying eyes as he fixated himself on his pray. Like the ever methodical spider, he moved so precisely as he spun his web, playing with his enemies as he trapped them in an unforgiving snare before he annihilated them. He would watch, each and every time he would watch until it was over before moving onto his next target with a hidden smirk on his blood-stained face and an excited buzz under his skin. He was a killer.

* * *

Hinata Hyuga was their sniper, the ultimate defence. She was small and kind and refined. She enjoyed cooking and flower pressing and cinnamon buns and everything a Hyuga heiress was not supposed to enjoy. Everyone saw a shy, stuttering weakling who couldn't ever possibly change herself or become stronger. Everyone saw what she wanted them to see, and so they underestimated her strength and most importantly, her ability.

But when it was time for her to protect, she became completely unrecognizable. Her gentle smile would freeze into something chilling and fake with a slight tilt in her head as she assessed you. Her eyesight was unmatched, accurate and far beyond any other Hyuga of her time; she used these eyes to take her enemies out from far distances before they could figure out where her team was located. If they somehow avoided her all seeing eyes, they would come to face her not-so-gentle fist. Her natural grace and flexibility proved itself superior of any ninja ever seen and she glided, danced, as bodies exploded and blood rained down from the skies; and she would continue dancing even after they all fell, a breathless laugh on her lips from a small rush of bloodlust. She was a killer.

* * *

Team Eight was the strongest team of the Rookie Nine. While everyone was working on getting stronger and working on becoming unstoppable, Team Eight had become stronger and became undefeated…

...and so they were to be feared.

Team Eight were not only a team of ninja trackers; they were far beyond that of an average shinobi.

Team Eight were deadly.

Team Eight were assassins.

Team Eight were Killers.


	2. Chapter 2

**WARNING** **! THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SELF MUTILATION, DEPRESSION, SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND ABUSE**

 **VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED**

 **Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of its other name rights. Happy Reading!**

* * *

"Alright class, we have your genin exams due tomorrow." Iruka Umino looked over his class with pride. Each and every time he graduates a class, he couldn't help the sad, yet hopeful spark ignite in his chest. This was his favorite part of being a teacher. "I hope you've all studied hard, and trained even harder, because after that, you'll be full-fledged ninja. Be sure to do your best!"

The class clamored as they all stood up and left the building in a hurry. Most were excited to go hang out with friends, some were preparing for the exam and others were ready to go home and have dinner.

Aburame Shino watched from his seat in the back as the other students were sent into a flurry around him to reach the classroom doors. He occasionally wondered what it felt like, to be excited to go home; not that he didn't like being home, but he never necessarily felt excited about it.

His shaded eyes glanced over to the other five remaining in their seats. Uzumaki Naruto looked anxious as well as excited. The young Aburame knew that he was worried over something, though his lack of curiosity stopped him from entertaining the thought any further.

The Uchiha watched as he did, unblinking and extremely distant. He was the best in the class and also the most bitter, the coldest.

Shino could remember the exact night that Uchiha Sasuke's family died because it was the first time he had ever seen his stoic father afraid. He came back home pale and shaking and brokenly whispered to his mother what had happened. Shino was eavesdropping, he will admit, but he had to know what had his father so terrified, so broken.

Uchiha Sasuke was different after that; the sweetly awkward and normal little boy turned into someone angry and hateful. He became "perfect" by genin standards, but Shino had the gut feeling that he was going to turn into a real menace some day. He wasn't sure when exactly, but he just knew.

Kiba Inuzuka was gently petting the dog in his arms, looking like he was going to vomit any second. His tanned face was ashen grey and he was having a hard time standing up to run home like everyone else.

Shino always noticed the way Kiba would talk in class or act around his academy friends. He was sure to be loud and whenever he felt his volume was too loud he would quiet back down again. He made sure to be careful with his words when he boasted about himself or his clan, and Shino had the feeling it wasn't because of clan secrets. He made himself to be tough and threatening at all times, but never where he was unapproachable or too noticeable; he had this constant need to maintain the balance of not too small to bully but not too big to be sought out.

The Hyuga heiress let out an almost silent sigh as she began to slowly pack up her supplies. Shino had not forgotten about her; no, Hyuga Hinata was definitely one he kept an eye on. She was from a very prestigious, very powerful, clan. Hinata was perfectly made for hiding, when her title screamed that she should do anything but.

They had a very silent relationship in which they would make sure the other as not alone. They never talked, they never acknowledged each other and Shino was fine with that. He didn't know how this acquaintanceship came to be but he knew it was after she was missing from school one day and came back the next with ugly bruises peeking out from under her jacket.

He knew what it was like to live in a stressful clan home, and though he may not understand how the Hyuga's rule their home, he knew that Hinata was at the very bottom and so he pitied her. She unintentionally sought him out once and then eventually it became routine. Shino never asked questions, he never spoke at all, and Hinata couldn't be more grateful.

He began to pack his things too, matching his pace to Hinata's so she wouldn't have to walk out alone. He noticed the way Kiba's eyes slid over to them before he began to pack his school items as well.

Naruto and Sasuke didn't bother, simply standing and walking out when the door was cleared enough for both to exit without a hassle.

Kiba approached Hinata, who smiled nervously at being approached so casually by someone much more well-known and popular than she was. Shino looked up sharply, watching in case he needed to intervene.

Kiba smiled nervously and scratched the back of his head, "Hey uh-" He trailed off in embarrassment for a moment before pushing himself again, "You're a Hyuga right? That means you're good at the whole chakra control thing, right?" Hinata hesitated before nodding. "Could you maybe help me with training?"

Hinata felt her heart stop for a split second, before furiously pumping in anxiety. She hated that word: training. Training meant fighting, and fighting meant getting beaten for not being good enough. He was going to yell at her and pummel her into the ground. He wanted to hurt her, he wanted to break her. She was tired of being broken and could only stand to do it once a day, if even that.

Her hand unconsciously trailed to her arm, littered with bruises from yesterday's 'training' with her father. He ridiculed her the entire time, calling her weak for "reminding him why her status as heiress was revoked". She felt eyes on her everywhere and she couldn't escape.

"Hey," Kiba started backing up with his hands surrendering in a non threatening way. She was reeking of fear and he could see the way her eyes searched for an escape. "It's ok if you can't do it. I mean, you probably have your own agenda or whatever. We can try for another time, ok?" Hinata seemed to calm down a bit and nodded, shaking under her jacket.

Kiba felt bad for the girl, everyday he could smell the fear, the rejection, the hopelessness; but most of all, he could smell the blood. She always smelled like blood, fresh or dry, and it was always her own. He didn't know what happened back where she lived, but he could tell by the way she held herself together with all remaining strength, it wasn't anything good.

A small buzzing noise brought him back to reality. It was left unheard to the normal shinobi, even those with excellent hearing, but to an Inuzuka, it was almost deafening. He looked over to the Aburame and almost glared, settling for a nod of acknowledgement instead. He waited a stared until he received one of his own. Kiba was not going to let him walk away without a respectful greeting in return, however casual it may be.

The Aburame seemed to be hovering nearby, protecting the poor girl from the 'big bad wolf kiba', not that he could blame him; the poor girl looked like she was ready to faint.

Shino didn't say anything to him, he stared a few seconds longer before turning on his heel and heading for the door. He didn't care enough to stay, it seemed, but he found himself almost leaving a bug on one of the empty desks,and stopped himself before that happened. He almost grimaced, it was none of his business.

* * *

He walked until he got to his front door, hesitating before pulling it open. The house was quiet, save for the buzzing under his skin and in the air. He knew that everyone was notified of his arrival and he felt himself shut down as his mother approached.

"Son," She greeted, stopping a few feet away from him. Shino felt himself nod and speak, "Hello mother." She didn't move to embrace him, and neither did he to embrace her. It was just the way his clan was. There was little to no affection in the open, there was no warmth and very small feelings of love. He sometimes found himself craving some sort of contact, even if it was simply a single pat on the head, but no; there was to be none of that in this home, in this clan. So he sucked it up and shut down so he wouldn't have to face the truth that maybe his parents didn't love him that much.

He looked over her shoulder to see his father coming around the corner, a ridgedness to his walk. Shino braced himself for the lecture of graduating from the academy and how to be an effective ninja. He knew this was coming, since his father always lectured him for any test, any event big enough that affected his career as a shinobi.

"Son," Shibi greeted stiffly. Shino let his autopilot take over, "Hello father." He nodded. Shibi sniffed a bit and took in a deep breath, "As you know," He began, "There comes a time in which one will be held to higher expectations when they are ready. You son, are graduating from the academy and will be placed on a ninja team, like I was and your grandfather before me.

"We Aburame are known for our exceptional skills in tracking, due to the kikachu living within us, and so we are placed on a team that amplifies that skill; a tracking team. You will be no exception. Once you graduate, you will be a ninja and you will be required to meet our expectations. Is that understood?" Shino let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, "Yes father." Shibi, although not proud, did seem slightly please and seemed to relax as well. He nodded and turned away from his son, going back to wherever he had came from.

Shino's mother, having stood silently the entire time, finally seemed to snap back to life and turned to her son, "You may study before dinner." Was all she said before she too, turned and walked away.

Shino felt himself deflate and fought to control the feelings of angst at bay. His bugs will respond and they will make noise and everyone will see just how different he was. He couldn't have that. He refused to let them see his weakness, not when he was so close to graduating and achieving his goals.

He took a calming breath and forced his legs to carry him upstairs where he would go to his room, shut the door, and sit on his bed, staring into nothing until he was summoned for dinner. He's done this many times before, he could stand to do it again… At least, that's what he kept telling himself.

* * *

Kiba felt himself shake as he approached his front door. He was definitely nervous. All he could smell was his mother, and of course all of the other females. In his home, the women ran the pack, they were the alphas seeing as how there were more females in his clan than males. He had seen his father go crazy from the lack of equality, from the dismissal and had also seen his mother chase him off when he started demanding rights.

After that, they turned their eyes to him, to see if he was going to 'act out' like his father did. He did his best to obey and stay strong at the same time, but it was hard since they started to treat him more differently.

He was too much like his father. They had the same looks, the same voice, the same attitude and sometimes he could see just how much his mother hated to look at him. She still loved him, at least, that what she would tell him, but he knew in the back of his head that she only said that because she felt guilty of her treatment towards him and she didn't want him to run off like his father did. Why? He didn't know and neither did he want to.

He took a deep breath and steeled his nerves, opening the door with a casual confidence that he hoped looked real.

His mother looked up from the food she was making and frowned for a half second before turning her attention back to the stove, "How was school, runt?" She asked casually, saying the nickname 'runt' in an affectionate way. Kiba hated that nickname.

"It was fine," He shrugged, "We have the genin exams tomorrow, so I thought I would go to my room to study before then." His mother nodded, seemingly relieved. "Be sure to greet our sister when she comes back home." She called after him. He shoved down the hateful, envious feeling before his mother could smell it. "Of course," He called back as cheerily as possible, "I love greeting Hana back from missions."

He quietly walked up the stairs and shut the door behind him, shaking as he silently sunk to the floor.

He loved Hana, he really did, but she never failed to be his mother's favorite, she never failed to rub it in his face either. After becoming a ninja, she matured a little bit, but he could still see the smugness in her eyes when his mother would hug her and greet her like she was coming back from a war.

Once upon a time, Kiba had found the strength to confide in his sister that he didn't feel as loved as her. She sympathized and assured him that he was, but after dad left, her attitude towards him took a turn. She became colder, mocking him whenever he messed up and often gloated over the fact that mom loved her more.

Kiba figured she was hurt about the split up and shared the same view as the other Inuzuka females that his father was trash. He figured she blamed him for the whole mess, either that or she hated more than their mother that he reminded her so much of dad. Whatever the case was, he grinned and beared it because he had to. He was not going to be weak like they thought he was. He balled up tightly, Akamaru in his lap and hid his face in his arms. He stayed still, completely unmoving, until he heard the front door open.

* * *

Hinata walked in silently, shutting the door quietly behind her. She didn't need to activate her Byakugan to know that her father sent a servant to collect her. Before they could greet her with a false smile and cheeriness Hinata was already walking to her father's office. She heard them mutter curses under their breath but she ignored them. She was too tired, to drained to really care at the moment.

She lightly knocked on her father's door, "Come in," He called coldly. She walked in with her head down and stood in front of him. She didn't bother looking up, she knew he was writing something down and would not acknowledge her until he was finished. She took the precious time to shut everything off and steel herself for a barrage of insults.

Her effort was not in vain, for as soon as her father finished writing, he looked at his daughter with an emotionless gaze. He could not for the life of him, figure out why his daughter was so weak and timid. She is- or rather, was the heiress to a mighty and powerful clan; yet she could not hold herself with any dignity, she was even too timid to look him in the eyes.

"Hinata," He started, "It has come to my attention that the genin exams are tomorrow."

Hinata heard this speech a thousand times. He was going to tell her how much he expected her to fail and that she should quit in becoming a shinobi altogether to save her family face. She started to drown out his words at this point.

"I do not expect you to succeed, however, if you somehow manage to impress them enough to pass, you should quit thereafter, and stay a genin or give up your title as a ninja. You are weak, incapable of defeating your sister five years your junior and yet you expect to become a ninja and serve our village as a shinobi? You shame our family everyday going back to the academy.

"You are not able to succeed if you continue acting like a timid weak child and I honestly do not see a future in your career. On your eighteenth birthday we will spare you some mercy and marry you off to a powerful daimyo somewhere here in fire country.

"Whatever your decision is, it is no concern of mine. You will fail nonetheless and when you do, I will have already drawn up the marriage contract for you. Go do whatever it is you do, weakling. dismissed."

Hinata simply turned and walked away, not sparing a glance at her father once, not that he really cared either. She was too tired for tears today, it seemed, and she managed to enter her room without making a single sound. She threw off her jacket and pulled a kunai out of her pouch.

She walked into the bathroom and stared at her reflection in the mirror, hating the white eyes that stared back, Without effort she sliced her arm swiftly, with precision and care, over a thin line that only she could see. She watched the blood well up and spill from her porcelain skin before doing it again and again and again until there was no more room to do so.

She sighed and washed the blood away in the sink, using a basic healing jutsu to close the wounds. The scars were barely noticeable, but too noticeable for prying Hyuga eyes. She took out a calm she made for this situation and slathered it over her arms, relishing in the small stinging sensation as it healed the scars into smooth skin.

Hinata then laid on her bed, staring at the ceiling she had contemplated hanging from more times than she could count, but as always too cowardly to do. She hated herself for that, because then she could end all of the pain and suffering this life gave her. Instead of continuing that thought, she closed her eyes and prayed. She prayed everyday, even if no one came to help her, she still prayed. She prayed for strength, she prayed for peace and she prayed most of all for love.

She prayed until dinner, where she threw on her jacket and sullenly walked downstairs to face the hateful eyes all over again. She kept her face to the floor not looking up once in the cold, loathful room. She barely touched her food before she excused herself and walked back upstairs, whispers of disdain following her; she ignored them.

She felt a strong killing intent as looked up as Neji was passing. "Hello princess," He spat. Hinata didn't say anything and lowered her head again. She closed her eyes and willed him away. 'If he keeps talking to me, I'll surely break.' She couldn't allow that, especially not by Neji.

She knew all the reasons why he hated her, and he hated her weakness the most. But she was sure that if she became stronger, he would hate her more or that. He would go off again about fate and how big of a waste of space she was.

"I hear you're supposed to be taking the genin exams tomorrow, princess." He spat. She refused to say anything, only angering him further, "Too good to say anything to me, main branch? I figured as much." He stalked closer, closing in on his prey. "Such a weakling thinks that she's too good to talk to a lower branch like me, does she?" He grabbed her throat and slammed her against the wall roughly, drawing a grunt of pain from her.

"You are nothing but a pest. Everyone hates you. Everyone doesn't need someone as weak as you; so pathetic and worthless! You're a failure that should have never been born into the main family!" Hinata felt the tears well in her eyes but she would not let them fall. Neji saw this and scoffed, digging his nails into her throat. "What a waste of Hyuga blood." He hissed before slamming her into the wall again and walking away.

Hinata felt her head hit the hard concrete wall and closed her eyes as the vertigo of a new concussion set in. Only once she was sure Neji was gone did the tears spill over and she cried. She took in as many deep breaths as she could, muffling her sobs before anyone could hear them.

'So this was the price of being a main branch weakling' She thought miserably. She lifted herself and forced her legs to carry her to her room, where she would make new scars and cry herself to sleep, hoping that tomorrow, she would finally have the courage to kill herself.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: I have been thinking of what kind of pairings to include in the story; obviously that's later on when they're all much more grown up. I am still pairing Kiba with Tamaki, that much is settled, but with Hinata and Shino I wasn't sure. I am not pairing Team 8 together romantically, at least not permanently (You'll see what I mean later on ;) *wink wink* ) but I'm not making them simple soldiers who live and breath to fight only. Despite their pasts, they are people too and can grow to love and care for others instead of just staying mindless killers.  
**

 **I was wondering about a ShinoTen sort of romance? Or maybe PM me someone else for him and explain why.  
** **With Hinata I was wondering to pair her with Neji (to preserve the Hyuga bloodline) or maybe with Shikamaru? PM me your opinions please to help me figure it out.  
** **And of course Kurenai is paired with Asuma... or maybe Kakashi? who knows ;)**

 **ALSO! I'M MOVING!  
Yup! I'm moving to another state next SAT so my writing will be a bit shitty for a while until I settle into my new apartment. and then I might be moving states again next summer and all these possibilities are endless and wonderful and I cant wait! So please be patient with me and my uploading! Thank you!**

 **Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of its other name rights. Happy Reading!**

* * *

Kurenai Yuhi was one of the most beautiful, most powerful kunoichis of her time. She studied hard in ninja academy, trained harder every day and quickly rose to become a proficient jonin and even an Anbu member when the situation was dire enough.

Unfortunately, the only person to see her strength was her best friend, her only remaining family, Anko Mitarashi, who graduated with her in the same year and was her main partner in crime. Both young ladies lost their family in the war against the nine tails, and so after that they grew inseparable.

Everyone assumed that Kurenai was a serious player in the game of "hard-to-get" and often discredited her abilities and rise to a respectful position simply because of her beauty. Males would often leer at her with their lustful eyes and often made bets about who could 'score' her first. Women would gossip jealousy and whisper behind her back everytime she came near.

As always, Kurenai ignored it, and she did so with grace. She outcasted herself to limit all distractions and heartbreak. She was very content with having only Anko at her side and a quiet apartment to live in. she even had a pet cat, which the kind old lady next door would watch over when she was on long missions.

Yes, Kurenai was content, but she was becoming restless. She felt the need to keep herself busier. The Hokage refused her any more missions, especially after she just returned from one that kept her far from the village for almost a year.

"How about a genin team?" He asked in that sly way that always caught her attention. She unconsciously leaned forward in her seat, interest caught. She couldn't help but give it consideration.

A genin team? Well, that would surely keep her busy. She would be able to train and test her ability to train others. She would have an influence on the future shinobi and help produce world class ninja. Maybe she could even extend her family. Kurenai felt her muscles tense and her eyes narrow at the Hokage, who sat across from her with a smug, knowing look. What's the catch?

"What are the requirements, Lord Hokage?" She asked, "There must be a reason you're suggesting this, and not just because you want me to stay in the village." Sarutobi took a long drag of his pipe and blew it out, seemingly in thought, but Kurenai knew better; he had a trick of some sort up his sleeve.

While Kurenai put her full trust in the Hokage, obeying orders without question, she knew that he did not say things out of the ordinary just to say them. He was a cunning old man and every word, down to the last letter, carried a weight of double meaning or carefully thought out intention that not everyone could understand or catch.

She waited until the last of the smoke cleared from his lungs, "I was just thinking, Kurenai," He drawled on lazily, "That it would benefit us all if you were to be in charge of a team of genin. The other shinobi do not treat you very well, and while that is none of my business, it is slowly becoming a problem within the village.

"There are three genin, all from prestigious clans that treat them the same way you are. As if they are not good enough; honestly, I find myself disgusted. These are children who will be future shinobi protecting the village, and they are being treated poorly. It is disgraceful, simply awful.

"I enlisted the help of Kakashi to take care of the Uchiha boy and young Naruto, both who are no better off, but I couldn't think of anyone else for these three." He grabbed a file from under his robe and handed it to Kurenai. She thumbed through quickly, reading all of the details. She found herself frowning and even shaking at the words printed there. These poor children…

"I could not bring myself to put them under my son's care." The Hokage sighed, "He's much too inexperienced at these type of situations. He's never really had a hard time making friends or being popular, as you would know."

Oh yes, Kurenai knew how wonderfully perfect Asuma was. He was often the center of attention and everyone loved him. Kurenai could appreciate him as well, as he was kind to even an outcast like herself, but she also envied him for his happiness, for his perfection. She knew that he never really had a hard day in his life concerning family, as he was always so happy, and Sarutobi would often come to visit his son at school and go home to him.

She read over the files once more, "Lord Hokage, I don't think I'm nearly qualified enough to work with these children. I overcame my weaknesses and loneliness by training. I focused on becoming stronger for my precious people, my best friend and you Lord Hokage." She felt herself blush a bit in embarrassment but she knew she meant her words. There was no one else besides Anko and Sarutobi that she was loyal to.

"I became a member of ANBU," She continued, "I learned from different clans and have become a cold killer, nearly a monster. What am I supposed to do with them?" Sarutobi leaned in, close enough that she could feel the weight of his stare and smell the tobacco of his pipe. He grinned in such a way that she knew he was amused and yet completely serious. "Teach them what you learned." And he sat back with a satisfied smirk.

It all clicked then. He wanted her to create a team of Kurenai, a team of killers. ANBU was seriously lacking in the tracking department and she knew that they were some of the most dangerous teams out there. They didn't spare mercy to enemies. They were quick and silent and brutally efficient. Trackers were on the same level as assassins and they always got their target.

Kakashi would overpower his team, creating them to be stronger than everyone else and punch away their problems. Asuma would take over the Ino-Shika-Cho and create them as a diversion team, who can slip away as easily as they could slip into a battle. Gai was already on his way to creating his team to be a series of range fighters, close or far.

The other teams were to be made in the spotlight, and they would surely fight over it, while Kurenai's team was to be made in the shadows. They were to hide in the background and strike when an opening is made, and then they were to finish the fight. No bravado, no dramatic speeches, just good old fashioned killing. She now saw what the Hokage saw: Potential.

She abruptly stood and deeply bowed, "I accept Lord Hokage." She announced. She was more than ready for this. The Hokage knew it as his smirk grew deeper. "Good."

* * *

Shino looked behind him that next morning, to see his father and mother standing a respectable distance away, careful not to get too close to their son. They didn't say anything, only nodding for him to continue walking; and so he did. He walked on as if their lack of encouragement did not bother him, but it did. He didn't know how much it really hurt him.

Kiba left the house as quietly as he could, careful not to draw too much attention on himself. He flinched when he saw his sister sitting on the kitchen counter with a mug to her lips and a scroll in her hand. She glanced over him with a repulsed look and went back to reading. He lowered his head, and continued walking, Akamaru at his heels. He didn't understand what he did wrong.

Hinata took a deep breath and placed the last of the makeup on her neck. She was careful to blend it all and make sure that it wasn't noticeable. She cursed her ivory skin for bruising so easily and estimated that the marks would mostly fade after two weeks or so. She looked to the blood she had drew a few moments earlier and sighed, washing the sink and heading out for the academy. On her way out she glanced over her shoulder to see her sister following their father. Her sister glanced at her with unfeeling eyes and continued walking. Hinata turned away and walked out. Not even her sister loved her.

The three students walked their own paths to the academy. They were disheartened and broken. They felt the darkness at the back of their minds eat away at their sanity, their morality. What was left of them from childhood was gone and they dreaded to continue thinking about it.

They sat in their usual seats, waiting for class to start.

Kiba noticed Hinata and the Aburame sitting together quietly. Remembering yesterday, he got up and walked over with his hands in his pockets.

Hinata noticed the shadow looming over her desk and flinched, peering up at a bashful Kiba with a wriggling Akamaru on top of his head. She wasn't sure what he wanted but she wasn't sure it was a bad thing either. She looked to Shino for help who only glanced away and ignored the situation. He learned from yesterday it seemed.

"Hey Hyuga," Kiba said softly, so as not to startle the poor girl, "I'm sorry about freaking you out yesterday, so I got you this." He held out a cinnamon bun crudely wrapped in a napkin. It was a bit malformed from being in his pocket, but it smelled delightful.

Sweets were forbidden in the Hyuga household, having tons of sugar and no real nutritional value. Hiashi abolished sweets, hated them, especially after the death of his wife, who craved them like no other Hyuga. Hinata had never tried a cinnamon bun before, but she always stared at them through windows when she passed by.

She hesitated, slowly taking the sweet treat and holding it as if it were going to explode. She glanced at Kiba who wore a proud grin, "What did you do to it?" She asked quietly. Kiba's face fell, and even Akamaru's tail stopped wagging, "Excuse me?" He replied. Hinata's tears started to show. "Do you mean to poison me? Or you probably just feel sorry for me. Why are YOU being so nice to ME?" Her tears were now threatening to fall.

Kiba couldn't believe it. He just spent his last dollar on this Hyuga girl and she's not even saying 'thank you' or being the least bit appreciative. How dare she? He felt the pent up anger build in his chest and turned away. "Well if you don't like it then don't eat it." He walked away before he said anything else he would regret.

He couldn't help, however, notice the slight difference in skin color over her neck, as if she was wearing makeup; not to mention it looked as if it were just put on in a hurry. Upon closer inspection, he saw nail shaped cuts in the center of the the dark bruises under the makeup of her neck. He felt bad, but didn't go back to apologize. He would only make it worse.

Hinata felt shame burn on her cheeks. She didn't want to offend him, but she couldn't take any chances. She glanced over to Shino, who saw the whole thing, and caught him turning away from her, unsympathetic to her turmoil. She felt anger and the familiar sting of rejection which caused more anger. She was stupid to think he cared about her in the least.

"Alright students," Iruka called out. He walked in with a proud grin on his face. He was excited to start the exam it seemed. "I'm going to call you all in one by one and test you. After that, we'll send you home early for a job well done and then select your teams tomorrow."

He looked at his list and began calling the students. All of them came out with happy grins and shouts of success, headbands being worn proudly.

Hinata kept her head lowered but her eyes never tore away from the gift that the Inuzuka gave her. She still couldn't understand why he gave her such a thing just because she was being a coward, because he scared her. She was always told that the weak didn't deserve mercy, cowards didn't deserve kindness.

Her father and cousin and every other member of the clan berated her and hated her for her weakness. She was even separated from her sister who wouldn't talk or engage her, she would only stare, as if she were trying to remember her name. Hinata felt that the harshest thing her father could ever do to her was to take away her little sister.

"Hyuga Hinata," She looked up to Mizuki who was glaring at her. She hurried down the aisle and to the empty classroom next door where Iruka was waiting patiently, a kind smile on his face. He knew how shy and unsure the Hyuga girl was but he had faith in her abilities. "Hello Hinata," He greeted gently, "I just need you to make three shadow clones of yourself for you to pass."

Hinata felt her heart sink. Did they really think she was so bad in her abilities that she only had to create three? She nodded and went through the necessary hand signs; a puff of smoke and three perfectly made shadow clones were standing next to her, all with the same blank stare she had.

Iruka smiled proudly, seeing as how Hinata was the first genin besides Sasuke to create three flawless shadow clones. He knew he was right about her talent in the shinobi arts. He hurriedly handed her the ninja headband with a quiet, "Congratulations," And ushered her out of the door to call on another student.

Hinata stared at the headband in her hands for a moment, soaking it in, and then she tied it around her neck to hide the bruises and keep the noose at bay for just a while longer.

* * *

Shino couldn't understand why he felt such guilt. Whatever was happening with those two was not his priority, nor his problem, but he couldn't help the dark, sinking feeling in his chest when Hinata looked to him for help and he turned away. He ignored her just like his parents did to him.

He shook that thought out of his head immediately. He should be focused on his exam, not something as trivial as his need for attention.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Hinata with a headband tied around her neck enter the room. She neither looked proud, nor excited, just discouraged. He felt more of the sinking pain in his chest when she decided to not sit with him.

"Aburame Shino," He stood up and made his way to the front, refusing to glance back at Hinata.

Kiba noticed that the Hyuga girl refused to sit next to the creepy bug kid. His eyes followed her unwillingly as she sat a small distance away from her original seat. He sighed and turned his head back to the front, trying to ignore the pitiful smells of sorrow and loneliness. He turned his head down further when he heard the bug kid's name being called.

He felt the need to comfort Hinata, to give her the attention and care he was usually denied, though he wasn't sure why.

* * *

Akamaru whimpered, sensing his master's turmoil, and pawed at his head a little. Kiba lifted Akamaru off of his head and into his arms, holding him protectively. He began to stroke his fur and calmed down a little bit, resuming his train of thought.

He thought back to what she said to him earlier. Was she really treated so badly that she thought he would poison her? The thought made him sick to his stomach. He briefly wondered what her home life was like before a flash of the carefully hidden bruises played over and over again in his mind. He hoped he wouldn't have to see that again.

"Inuzuka Kiba," He instinctively stood as he heard his name called out and realized that the teacher was waiting for him. He walked slowly down the aisle, glancing around to see that bug boy was sitting in his usual corner, and maybe had been for a while since he was so engrossed in his thoughts.

He looked at Hinata once more, his heart breaking at the sight of her hiding under her hood, her face in her arms. He knew that position all too well. It was loneliness and depression and the thought of death. He shook his head and entered the next classroom over; he needed to focus.

* * *

All of the genin, save the quite few, were chattering excitedly as they all exited the academy with their headbands tied on. Some ran to their parents to show them off, getting loud praise and shouts of joy. Some of the parents didn't shout but the pride was still painfully evident in their eyes.

Hinata's eyes scanned over the families with envy and happiness. She was glad that her classmates were getting the praise they deserved but she couldn't help wish that she was able to get some sort of positive recognition.

Her gaze landed on a lone figure under the tree, slowly swinging as they looked on sadly. It was Naruto.

Hinata felt guilty, suddenly, for passing her exam, as she knew that the test was on a jutsu that Naruto was very bad at.

Her feet started to move without thinking, as she found herself slowly approaching him. He hadn't noticed her yet, there was still time to back out; but her feet were still moving, still walking to him with intention.

She daintily cleared her throat and reached her hand out to wave when a cold, angry hand slapped itself around her wrist, holding tightly. Hinata yelped and tried to pull back out of shock, failing miserably. She followed the pale hand to the very angry eyes of Hyuga Neji and attempted to pull back more, "Where's Ko?" She whimpered, looking around for her trusted protector.

Ko was the only Hyuga in the clan that cared for Hinata genuinely. He was the closest cousin to her mother, practically her brother since her family adopted him. Because of his love for her mother, Ko loved Hinata just as much and protected her whenever he could.

He would brush her hair and sing her songs that her mother loved. Sometimes he would sneak Hinata her favorite teas as he told her stories of her mother's bravery. He made sure to walk her home from the academy every chance he had and train her as best as he could.

Many people would mock him and whisper behind his back that he was just trying to gain favor with Hiashi but he ignored the whispers and continued loving his adopted niece.

Unfortunately, he was sent on a lot of missions from the Hokage as well as Hiashi and some days he would be too tired to care for Hinata, which she didn't mind since she would rather him be well rested. But he was free today, she even asked and had expected him to pick her up from the academy today.

"Lord Hiashi asked that I deliver you to him today, princess." He spat her mock title like it was poison and Hinata couldn't help the cold dread building in her stomach at the words.

Neji followed her intended path to the poor blonde sitting on the swing and scoffed, "Perhaps you were going to comfort another little failure. Pathetic. You should focus on yourself getting stronger instead of another lost cause; then again, you were fated to forever be weak." He started to drag her away.

Hinata had half a mind to scream and thrash but forced it down as she didn't want to cause a scene and put more shame on her clan. So she followed and remained completely silent as Neji hauled her into the house and down the halls. Hinata wondered why he hadn't let go of her yet, as if she were going to run away but pushed the thought away as she was rapidly approaching her father's study.

"Enter," He called, before Neji could knock. Hinata was nearly thrown into the room by Neji who then released her as he followed inside. Hiashi took note of it but said nothing as Hinata allowed herself to be treated this way by her cousin and the lower branch.

"Hinata," He called stiffly. The girl in question bowed respectfully, keeping her eyes to the floor as she straightened up. Hiashi resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her meekness and continued. "I see you have graduated the academy. They must have lowered their expectations considerably for you to pass." Hinata said nothing.

"The reason I've called you here today," He continued, "Is to make you aware of new changes now that you are a genin. You are now going to be placed on a team and so we expect your skills to improve, since you've shown nothing but disappointment thus far. Neji will now look after you, as Ko is too busy to be bothered with you. Neji will be your new protector and I assume you'll have to find a new trainer, since you still haven't mastered our clan techniques even under his tutelage. If this continues, I have no choice in handing your birthright status to your sister and branding you to serve as a branch member. You will do these things and accept these changes. Am I clear?"

Hinata felt all of her remaining hope sink into the pit of her gut. She was going to be protected by someone who wanted her dead, at the same time losing the only person who loved her. She felt a twitch in her eyes and saw a vision of herself branded as a branch member, serving under her father and sister, as well as other main branch who would activate the seal whenever they wanted until she died writhing in pain.

A cold shudder passed through her, nearly unnoticeable to all except for Neji who was standing close enough to feel it. He repressed his own shudder and continued to glare ahead at the wall. "I understand, Father." He heard her say. He dared to glance her was and was slightly surprised to see her face free of tears.

"You may go then; I need to speak to Neji about what is expected of him now." Her father seemed almost pleased that she didn't start crying but knew that she would once she reached her room. Hinata turned and walked out of the room, nearly slamming the door behind her from all of her pent up anxiety. Home surely was going to be hell for a while.

* * *

Shino was almost disappointed to not have seen either of his parents or clansmen waiting for him at the academy gates. He knew he shouldn't have expected it, but he will admit that it would have been nice to have some sort of recognition for his achievement.

He slowly made his way home, thinking of what sort of team he would be placed on. Most likely it would be a tracking team, since the Aburame were known for their tracking bugs, as they were better over long distances than a sensory ninja and he was trained in tracking since he was a young boy.

He broke out of his thoughts as he approached the gate to his clan's compound. He almost decided to not walk in, but pushed the invading thought away and entered his home.

The small buzz throughout the house was letting everyone know he was home and he often wished that he could slip in and out of home without the bugs to alert his parents or other clansmen.

"Shino," His father approached him with a sharp glare in his glasses, staring down his son meaningfully. Shino presented the headband emotionlessly, "Iruka-sensei said that my clones were perfect. He gave me a high grade." He saw his mother approaching from the corner of his eye and repeated himself for her. She simply nodded and walked away, allowing Shibi to talk with his son.

"Now that you are a genin you will have a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. Not only will you be honoring the shinobi code, you will be honoring the Aburame clan with your service, as I have done before you and my father before me, and his father before him. We expect to see a lot of promise out of you from this day forward, Shino, and you are to live up to those expectations in the name of the Shinobi and of the Aburame.

"Your mother is preparing dinner now, so wash up and rest before then. You meet your team and sensei tomorrow, and we do not want you weary for your first impression tomorrow."

Shino felt his legs shaking as he walked up the stairs to his room. Not once in that whole speech was his achievement acknowledged, nor did either of his parents express pride. No matter how hard he worked he was never given the time of day, he was never given any sort of recognition.

Shino would settle for a pat on the head, a handshake even, or someone simply saying good job. He didn't have to be sung praises to nor have a parade thrown in his honor. He wanted just a little bit of affection, a little bit of love from the people who are supposed to love him; but all he got was bigger expectations and more responsibility to maintain. He could not afford to fail them if he was going to achieve the results he craved.

Shino laid there on his bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering what he could do to improve, what he could do to be better and reach his end goal. He closed his eyes.

Tomorrow will be better.

* * *

Kiba opened the door with his metaphorical tail tucked between his legs. As quietly as he could he slipped into the house and took off his shoes. Akamaru looked around anxiously and began to pace, sniffing the air and whimpering softly so as not to be heard. "It's alright boy," Kiba soothed, lifting his best friend up to his head, "We'll be alright, like always."

"Kiba?" His mother called. He resisted the urge to flinch as he heard her, "Hey mom," He called back. He wished they could just leave him alone or at least give him some space, but he knew why they didn't; they didn't want another case like his father.

Tsume walked into the room and scrutinized her son's face carefully, looking him over until she noticed the headband hanging out of his pocket. "You passed," She stated, staring at the headband intently.

Kiba almost sntached it out of her view but instead chose to smile and show it off more, despite his instincts telling him to run, "Yeah," He exclaimed, "Iruka-sensei said that I got all of my shadow clones perfect too!"

"Is that so?" Hana walked up with an apple in her hand, and this time, Kiba followed instinct and pushed the headband back in his pocket. Akamaru growled softly, hiding in the hood further. "That must be nice, getting praise from a teacher." Hana took a bite of the apple and smirked at him as she chewed, "It's probably the last time it'll happen though, little puppy." Kiba hated that nickname more than 'Runt' but chose not to say anything.

Seeing no reaction, Hana changed her game, "Can I see the headband?" Kiba had to be careful now. There was a chance she would take it and torture him further. He thought as quickly as he could before he got a good idea. He took the headband and tied it around his head, fake smiling at his sister as he tightened it, "Like this?" He asked innocently, "Does it look good?"

Hana scowled as she realized he caught onto her and nearly crushed the apple in her hand as a result, "You look like a pathetic little genin." He growled, "Not even I looked like that when I graduated." Kiba bit back a smart remark and continued to smile more, saying nothing.

Tsume looked on without interest, sighing tiredly and breaking up a fight that was surely coming up, "How about we have some dinner? I made your favorite Hana." She walked into the kitchen, expecting her daughter to follow, which she did after glaring at Kiba a few seconds longer. "You're trash," She hissed as she walked away.

Kiba let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, hurrying to his room to hide his headband from Hana's companion, who was sure to stick his nose in his room again. He would not make the mistake of leaving Akamaru in his room again, seeing as how last time the damn dog bit his leg and injured him for a week

Akamaru was shaking and whimpering after kiba shut the door. Kiba lifted him off his head and hugged him tightly, easing his tremors. "Good job Akamaru," He whispered, "You were a great, brave wolf back there. I'm lucky to have you as my best friend." Akamaru yipped softly and hid further in his master's jacket.

And for a moment, they were calm and safe.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: So after asking you all about the different pairings to include in the story, I have gotten quite a bit of requests for a ShikaHina romance, and so that is where my story will take us. I have also decided to pair Shino and TenTen together as well, since I like to play with the different dynamics of their personalities and interests.  
**

 **I am also still trying to settle into my new apartment, since I have only been living here for a week, so my writing will still be a bit blocky until I can actually get comfortable, so please continue to be patient. Thank you very much!**

 **Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of its other name rights. Happy Reading!**

* * *

Shikamaru was the smartest genin in the class; well, actually, he was the smartest person in the entire academy. Although he slept in class and only barely finished his assigned work, he still had a good grades (He would have it higher if he put in more effort, but it simply was too troublesome. He would rather let others have the glory).

Even at his age, his skills of observation were at its peak, if not better, and he started his mornings with mental tally of his classmates. Seeing as he was a boy of routine, today would be no different.

The morning of the academy was as busy as ever. Everyone talked excitedly to one another about their graduation celebrations and how thrilled they were to finally be placed on a team.

Shikamaru's eyes swept over the heads in the first row of the section adjacent to his own, starting from the left and working his way down and up. Some of them being civilian families and others from small ninja clans like himself, although, his was more well known. His eyes traveled up the row until he finally reached the back across from him.

Shino sat in his usual corner seat, closed off and indifferent as usual, but Shikamaru found himself searching for the short cropped navy blue hair that usually sat by him. His eyes scanned over the section again and then turned to his own. Kiba sat in his usual group of 'friends' with Akamaru napping on his head, Sasuke was sitting in his window seat, brooding, but where was she? She wasn't anywhere within his sight, as he sat in the back, so he can only deduce that she was absent today or maybe…

There she was; at the far corner on the other side of the room, on the same row as him, in her own little world. Shikamaru wondered to what must have happened for Hinata to switch seats so suddenly, away from the other loner she would usually sit with.

Shikamaru found himself studying her closely, following the delicate curve of her nose and the pout of her lips, which she then began to chew. A dark bruise adorned her neck under her headband and her hands began to fidget with her coat sleeves, as if she really wanted to rip them off.

He wasn't sure why, but somewhere in his subconscious, he knew he needed to watch out for her. She was a ticking time bomb, he could tell. It would take one thing to set her off and he was sure that it was going to be something that changed her for good. He felt a twisted sense of guilt and anticipation when he found himself wanting to see her explosion but for now he shook it off and continued studying the rest of the children in the room.

A flash of yellow caught his eye and he stopped to chase it. There was only one person in the entirety of the class with hair as bright and wild as the mop he was currently staring at. Not even Ino's platinum blond locks held any comparison to the sunny yellow tangles, seemingly pale and faded in comparison.

"Hey Naruto," Shikamaru called with a smirk, "This class is for graduated shinobi only." He did enjoy teasing his dense blonde friend.

Naruto, having caught onto Shikamaru's joke, grinned back and thumbed the headband, reflecting the light off of it into his eyes, "Can't you see what's on my head, Shikamaru? I thought you were supposed to be the smart guy." Shikamaru chuckled to himself and turned to talk with Choji, continuing his usual morning routine.

Hinata felt her heart beating twice as fast as she spotted the proud blonde swagger over to his seat. If Naruto could pass, even against all odds, then surely there was hope for her too, right?

She found herself looking over to Kiba and immediately turned away. She relived the shame and guilt and fear from that day and hid her head in her arms.

Little did she know that Kiba could smell it on her and resisted the urge to turn and look at her, glancing over to the bug boy instead.

Shino felt eyes on his person and stiffened up, glancing to Hinata; she was hiding in her arms, so it wasn't her. He looked to Kiba who was turning his head away from his direction to laugh at a joke one of his friends told.

All three of them then intentionally avoided eye contact, or any contact for that matter, with each other, choosing to ignore the pull of gravity that fate seemed to place upon them. Instead, they decided it was for the best that they all avoided each other for the rest of their lives or at least, until they were forced to speak to one another.

In deciding this, they all happened to miss the hilarious event of Naruto and Sasuke kissing each other after Naruto was accidentally pushed into Sasuke's face. Eventually everyone would fondly remember that moment as a joke, bringing it up here and there at get-togethers and laugh, except for Team Eight who would smile nervously and look at each other in confusion. They would be the only team of the entire Rookie Nine who would never really know what happened that day, but that part of the story comes later.

Iruka felt that familiar sting of proud sorrow as he entered the classroom of chattering students. his eyes glanced over the classroom of children sitting in their seats. After years of hard work and dedication, here was his class, ready to move on to another stage of their lives as real shinobi. He never got rid of the emotions over this portion of the school year when it all ended for some and then started again for others. However, he was very happy with this year's class, and felt in his gut that they were going to be the very best of any class he had taught before

"Good morning, my dear students." Iruka's voice silenced the room almost immediately, "As of today you are all ninjas. To get here you faced difficult trials and hardships, but that's nothing; what comes next will be far more difficult. Now you are only genin, first level ninjas. All the genin will be grouped into three men squads. Each squad will be led by an jonin, an elite ninja. We want each squad to have a balance of strengths and abilities, so that's how we set them up. I will now announce the squads!"

"Team Seven will be: Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and Sasuke Uchiha." Both Naruto and Sakura had their moments of sadness and victory separately after hearing their team placement.

Shino rolled his eyes at the wail of despair of all of the fan girls who failed to have a placement on the Uchiha's team as well as Sakura turning to gloat over all of them.

Despite her intelligence, she really was an immature little girl. She had loving parents who supported her choice in being a ninja, despite her being from a civilian line, and gave her anything that she wanted.

She did have great chakra control, but that was simply because she didn't have very much of it to control. She was weak in combat too, too distracted or not taking the fight itself seriously. Shino often wondered what drove her to be a ninja in the first place, though he had the feeling it had something to do with the Uchiha.

"Team Eight," His attention was drawn back to Iruka's voice, "Hyuga Hinata, Kiba Inuzuka, and Aburame Shino." Shino sighed angrily to himself. After all, he did plan on never speaking to those two again, namely Hinata. He supposed he had no choice, as this was Kami's way of punishing him.

Kiba groaned to himself after he heard his name. Great, now he was stuck with the two people he was trying to avoid for the rest of his life.

Hinata didn't bother to pick her head up from her arms. She knew this was going to happen. She saw it as soon as Iruka walked in the classroom.

"And finally, Team Ten will consist of Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji." Iruka rolled up his scroll and grinned at his class, "You may take an extra hour in lunch to get to know your teammates better. Afterwards you are to report back to the classroom to meet your new jonin leaders. Dismissed."

Almost everyone ran outside, save the few who were either too cool to run or who just wanted to take their time.

Hinata didn't bother to move, deciding it was better to stay inside and mope instead of having to face the loneliness outside while the other teams were likely to talk and get to know each other.

Once the room was empty, she sat up and slowly unwrapped the crumpled cinnamon bun she saved in her pocket. She didn't bring a lunch today, her depression taking away her hunger, but she was suddenly curious on how the gift from the Inuzuka tasted. Besides, if he wanted to poison her, she might as well help him out.

She hesitantly took a bite and found that, even if it was a bit stale, it was delicious. She should have thanked Kiba when he gave it to her.

The thought brought back an intense shame and her guilt returned with even more aggression. Suddenly she couldn't eat anymore and wrapped the sweet treat back in it's napkin. She hid her face once more and began to silently cry.

* * *

Kiba ignored the smell of tears in the classroom and instead focused on eating his lunch. Akamaru whimpered beside him, pawing at his leg. "I know boy," He sighed, "But she doesn't like us. She wouldn't want us up there to watch her cry."

He glanced over to Shino who was sitting completely opposite of him, studying a butterfly on his finger. He felt a bitterness towards him for some reason. Maybe it was because he knew that, to some extent, Hinata trusted him and he broke that, maybe it was because he didn't seem to care about anyone but himself.

To Kiba, the Aburame was cold and heartless. He didn't want to be on a team with him, but decided that if he was going to be a ninja, he was going to work with people he didn't like on missions. This was no different; just a really long mission.

* * *

Somehow, Shino knew that Hinata was crying. It was something he could feel in his heart. He partially blamed himself but forcefully abstained responsibility. It was not his fault that she cried, nor that their bond was not strong enough for him to have real reason to care.

He ignored the nasty stare Kiba was sending his way and decided to focus on what was important, which was meeting their sensei under a good first impression and preparing for the next steps in his career.

* * *

Everyone was back in the classroom on time, even Naruto. Almost all of them talked about their senseis and how amazing of a ninja they'll be. Some even started to make bets of whether they'll have a male or female.

Suddenly the doors opened and a small group of Jonin entered the room, one by one, each of them staring the class down. Everyone became quiet, filled with anticipation. No one said anything, as if they were all waiting for something to happen.

A tall burly man with an unlit cigarette in his mouth stepped forward. A smirk played on his lips as he casually pulled a crumpled up paper from his pocket and glanced over the names. "I am Sarutobi Asuma," He announced. Some of the girls in the room swooned over the deep baritone of his voice. It was slightly rough from smoking, but none less attractive. "I am here for Team Ten." Ino shot up and nearly ran to join him up front, sticking her tongue out at Sakura as she passed. Shikamaru and Choji lazily followed after her.

Kurenai stepped forward, a hand on her hip. "I am Yuhi Kurenai," She announced proudly, ignoring the side looks from her colleagues behind her, "I am here for Team Eight." She watched as the two wallflowers and loudmouth stood up and walked to the front, avoiding all eye contact with the class but mostly each other. She resisted the urge to sigh and lead them out, heading straight for the training grounds.

The walk was silent, almost sad. Kurenai understood the conditions in which these children lived in, but that did not make it any easier to understand. She was going to have to work extra hard for them to accept not only her, but each other. She silently cursed as she realized what she had gotten herself into, but was also excited at this new challenge.

They walked into what would be their team training site, heading for a clearing by a small river. "This will do." She simply said, turning to face her students. She sat in lotus position, gesturing for her students to do the same, which they did.

"Once again my name is Yuhi Kurenai, it is a pleasure to be your sensei." She never really liked small talk, but continued, "It is my duty to actively train and guide you through the beginnings of your shinobi careers until you are of chunin or even jonin rank. I am here for advice, information, support, and a shoulder to simply lean on. I expect you all to listen to instruction, but do not be afraid to question my authority and tell me of your concerns. It is good for you to have a mind of your own and I will not shame you for speaking out or having an opinion. I will listen and explain to you everything you have an issue with.

"A little bit about me: I have served as a ninja for the Hidden Leaf since I was nine; I am now twenty-three. I specialize primarily in genjutsu but am always willing to learn something new.

"I like sushi and strawberries, and dislike laziness. My hobbies include reading, training and poetry. A dream I have for the future is to retire in an era of peace.

"I would like for all of you to introduce yourselves to me and your teammates. We will be working together for a long time, and it's best that you have some information on each other and build a connection."

Kurenai turned her eyes to the shaded bug user, Aburame Shino. He was a tough one to read, that's for sure. She read all of his practice reports as well as his hypothetical class assignments. He was careful and none too risky when it came to tough situations, deciding to go more passive routes so as to not leave any real room for the situation given. While it may seem like a good idea to plan and neutralize the situation, it was feeding into the threat and giving the enemies more leverage. The thought too much with his head and never allowed his gut feelings to surfice.

Kurenai was sure that if he were to let go of the 'teachings' his parents seemed to have engraved, he would plan as well as predict outcomes with better ease, thus retaining better results.

She remembered seeing his day to say life in the crystal ball, watching as he was met with cold indifference. He would stay in his room all day, preferring to isolate himself instead of be rejected outright by his parents. She was sure that one day he did try to build something warm with them, but seeing as how he was strictly stuck in the routine of walking into his home, having to explain his day, receive a lecture before and after school, and then retreat to stare at the walls of his room, the attempt hadn't gone very well.

She even thought back to the very first meeting with his parents before he got home.

* * *

A similar high-scollar, glasses-wearing face, that obviously was related to Shino, opened the door as Kurenai finished knocking, but instead of the short brown afro Shino had, the hair was black, straight and long. The Aburame Matriarch stared blankly past her, or at least, that's what it felt like. An unnatural chill seemed to pour out of the house behind her and Kurenai couldn't imagine coming home to this everyday.

"Good afternoon," Kurenai greeted, bowing to show her respect. "My name is Yuhi Kurenai, and I will be the jonin instructor for your son, Aburame Shino." The woman said nothing and so she continued undeterred, "I have come to meet you in hopes of getting a better understanding of your son, as well as affirming any questions or concerns you may have."

Kurenai looked over the woman's shoulder to see a seemingly older version of Shino walking briskly down the hallway. "Hello," He greeted, "My name is Shibi Aburame, and this is my wife Sana. It is nice to meet you. Please come in and join us for tea." Sana moved out of the way, heading for the kitchen to prepare the tea as her husband lead Kurenai to the receiving area.

"Thank you," Kurenai remembered her manners, "That is very generous of you." Shibi said nothing, only taking his seat as Kurenai kneeled in hers. She waited for Shibi to say something, anything, but was only met with silence. She figured that he was either waiting for his wife, or waiting for Kurenai to say something. She decided to wait for the wife, seeing as how they both may have different questions as well as opinions for their child.

"The selection this afternoon is a simple matcha green tea." Sana had a very quiet, almost a whisper of a voice, but Kurenai didn't mind. It was better than what she heard from a majority of the village.

"What would you like to know about Shino?" Shibi asked, waiting for Kurenai to take a sip of her tea. Kurenai thought for a second, "What are your son's work habits like here at home?"

Both of them took a second to answer, seemingly thinking, "He is very dedicated," Sana admitted, "He is completely committed to his learning, and refrains from slacking off. We don't have to remind him to focus or continue his work. We like to have a talk with him every night, and almost every morning, to strive to be his best, but that's the closest we'll get to reminding him."

"What about hobbies?" Kurenai asked, "Or maybe some of his personal interests? What are some of the activities he likes to do here at home or maybe out with friends." Sana seemed almost amused at the question, "Hobbies?" She asked, "No, we do not encourage that here.

"Shino musn't be distracted you see, he must always be thinking, always focused. He doesn't have friends either, as emotional bonds are somewhat useless. I suppose one could care for another or maybe have a strong fellowship, maybe even a partnership, as me and my husband do, but that is for after he is trained in his shinobi arts, or perhaps, not at all if that's what must be."

Kurenai could not believe her ears. Were they serious? Even she, a strong kunoichi, an ANBU member for crying out loud, knew the importance of emotional bonds in friends and family. Was she saying that the reason they hardly ever bothered with their son emotionally was because they believed that it was a weakness to their son's growth? Unbelievable.

Kurenai nodded, pretending not to be bothered, "Is there anything you may be concerned of while he is under my care?" Shibi decided to answer this time, "Make sure he is not distracted and is keeping a clear head."

He suddenly seemed colder then, much more distant than before if that was possible, and Kurenai was reminded suddenly, of what she would see in the crystal ball. "Shino doesn't need to be hindered with needless things. He should only live, breathe and think for the mission. We are shinobi, soldiers and warriors. We no need for useless distractions."

It was then that Kurenai truly realized what Shino was raised in, what he was living through. His parents were thinkers, not feelers. They saw no need for love and affection, no need for warmth or kindness towards their child, for he was to be what they were, and that was a 'soldier', though Kurenai saw it more as being a robot.

His parents kept him under a strict house but otherwise neglected their son emotionally. They saw no need for him to do anything outside of what they did and even if they were not there, they had him under their thumbs and kept him there.

"Thank you very much for the tea, and more so for your hospitality." Kurenai couldn't stay here another second, "Unfortunately I have two other families to meet with, that being Hyuga and Inuzuka." She gave the parents time to process this, but like everything else they just accepted the terms and outcomes of their son's graduation.

Kurenai bowed, "If you have anymore questions, please do not hesitate to seek me out. Have a lovely afternoon, Lord and Lady Aburame.

* * *

"My name is Shino Aburame," A quiet, raspy voice broke through her train of thought, "I am from a clan that specializes in the use of Kikaichu beetles and as part of my clan's technique we allow the insects to live inside our bodies to create a bond." He paused for a bit, preparing himself for the usual disgust and rejection, but was pleasantly surprised when he only saw curiosity and wonder.

He continued, "I like winter melons and the season spring; I dislike pesticides and salted tongue. I do not have any hobbies, unless you count collecting specimens for my clan's inventory. My goal for the future is to discover an entire new species of bug." Everything was short and to the point, just as she expected.

She couldn't help but wonder how he was able to project his internal state as everything being perfectly fine. She knew in his own way he was suffering, but he handled his despair by ignoring it, pushing it away and pretending that he was okay with everything going on. There was no reason to cause a fuss.

She looked to Kiba and nodded encouragingly, waiting for him to start.

He was the son of Inuzuka Tsume, the woman who chased off her husband so long ago, shortly after giving birth to a son. Some said that she caught him with another woman, others say that he was threatening to hurt their family.

Kurenai knew the basics of all clans, including the Inuzuka's; and after observing them through the crystal ball for a short time, she gathered enough information to deduce that there was a power imbalance. Like the Hyuga, the Inuzuka established a hierarchy, but in this case, it was between genders. Most people would assume that the males of the clan would be in charge, but seeing as how the women outnumbered them all three to one, they were forced to the bottom.

Kurenai knew Tsume's husband, Yuuto, and his companion, Ookami, through the occasional mission. He was kind, although he had a strange fiery temper when someone he cared about was involved (Kurenai figured it ran in the family). He never raised his voice at a superior nor questioned any orders given to him. He was easygoing and relaxed most of the time, friends with everyone.

She knew Tsume well enough, as well, as she was one of the Kunoichi's who didn't mind Kurenai's presence. On missions together she would offer to take first watch and allowed Kurenai the courtesy of the first to eat or picking chores. On occasion, Yuuto would invite her to lunch along with Tsume and their friends. When she did accept, she made a point to sit by Tsume who would briefly engage in small talk and then leave her be, which she was thankful for, as she often struggled to conversate so casually with anyone other than Anko. They weren't friends but they did have a mutual understanding of each other that she appreciated.

After Kiba was born, he couldn't shut up; he was so excited to have a son, as it was nearly a rarity in the clan. Tsume didn't seem as excited, leaning towards her daughter more, but she did love her son in her own way, just not as much as Yuuto.

Eventually, he started to act differently. He was snapping at everyone and then apologizing for his attitude. And Ookami was always on edge, shaking and his tail between his legs. Many asked Yuuto if they was ok, if he needed to talk or any help, but he would brush it off and say that they weren't sleeping well and that they both needed more rest.

One day, everyone was whispering to each other about strange noises and shouting coming from the Inuzuka compound. There was a lot of cries and shouting and howling until it suddenly went silent. The next morning, Yuuto was nowhere to be found. Tsume said nothing and Kurenai could only assume that she swore the rest of the clan to silence as well, as no one would say a word of Yuuto or Ookami, not even their names.

Kurenai could remember the look in Tsume's eye the entire visit...

* * *

Kurenai took a deep breath and prepared herself for the next house to visit. She pulled a neatly folded paper from her pocket, reading the instructions on how to reach the Inuzuka compound as she walked. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she knew it wasn't going to be any better than the Aburame visit.

She rang the bell and was greeted with howling and barking. Tsume shouted for silence in the background and Kurenai couldn't help but smile at her flustered tone, reminding her of better days.

Tsume opened the door, hushing any whimpering dogs behind her as they tried to greet Kurenai, and grinned. "Hey Kurenai," She welcomed, "It's been a while! How have you been?" The red-eyed kunoichi nodded politely, "It's nice to see you Tsume. I've been well. I'm here to talk to you about your son, Kiba." She didn't miss the narrowing of Tsume's eyes or the way her lips curled into a disapproving frown.

"What did he do now?" she asked calmly, "Is he getting in trouble?" Kurenai forced a smile at the sudden malice towards Kiba, "Nothing like that." She assured peacefully, "May I come in to discuss it further?" Tsume hesitated for a second, pressing her lips together before relenting. "Yeah sure." She opened the door further to let Kurenai in, "I was going to make tea anyways. The receiving room is to your left; I'll be there in a second."

Kurenai followed the directions and sat down, looking around the room before Tsume came back. She noticed that most of the pictures were of her daughter, Hana; almost every one of them were of some accomplishment she achieved, from a diploma of completion in the academy, to pictures of her as a newly ranked Chunin.

She counted exactly five pictures with Kiba in them, but they still contained Hana in some way. The first picture was Kiba as a newborn with Hana holding him and grinning at the camera. The second and third were Christmas photos at young ages. The fourth was Kiba accepting Akamaru as his companion, Hana handing him over, and the fifth, Kurenai could only assume, happened after Yuuto left, as Kiba looked solemn in a family portrait.

She almost threw up at the obvious display of favoritism. Did Kiba really have to look at this every time he came home? Every time he ate dinner or left his room he would be greeted with the evident message that Tsume definitely loved her daughter more than her son. It was disgusting.

"I hope you like black tea," Kurenai turned her head to look as Tsume walked in with a tray of tea in her hands, Hana following close behind, "That's all we had. I also brought cookies, in case you were hungry." Kurenai smiled, "That's very thoughtful, thank you very much." She waited until they sat down before taking her cup and sipping it very lightly.

"Now then," Tsume was always one who went straight to the point, "What's this meeting about Kiba for? Is he fucking up in class or something?" To assume so readily that he was failing in some way was honestly deplorable on the mother's part, but Kurenai forced another smile and a short laugh to ease the tension.

"Actually, Kiba is doing remarkable in school." She felt the need to play it up a bit, but her information was the whole truth, "I am to be the Jonin instructor for Kiba. I have taken the time and liberty to study about your son academically, and just by looking at his grades, his written reports, as well as his hypothetical class assignments, I can tell you they are quite remarkable for someone his age. While he may not be a genius prodigy, he definitely does have a raw potential, mentally, that I find very exciting to work with.

"But seeing as how I'm not meeting Kiba until tomorrow, I came to you to gain a better understanding as well as maybe answer questions you have about his team or what he'll be doing. Seeing as your daughter is a ninja herself, I'm sure this isn't your first rodeo, so you know what to mostly expect, but I wanted to be sure. Can I ask what kind of work ethic Kiba has here at home?"

Tsume was silent, almost scrambling for an answer. It would seem as if she didn't know, though that was not surprising. She basically ignored her son, choosing instead to focus on her daughter, and so she didn't know anything about him. Kurenai didn't know whether to be disgusted or morbidly amused.

"Kiba likes to spend time in his room. He's a complete shut in." Red eyes slid over to Hana who was looking rather annoyed. She didn't seem to like that Kiba was the positive center of attention in this conversation and she was ready to humiliate him. Kurenai allowed it, if only to gain a better understanding of his life here at home. "Is he now?" She feigned surprise.

Seeing as how she had the attention on her, Hana smirked and continued, "Unlike me, he doesn't go out of his way to do his job, you have to tell him what to do to get him to even consider moving."

Kurenai noticed that Tsume didn't bother to correct her daughter, nor add any input on her son's behalf. She also noticed that Hana boasted about herself as she insulted Kiba, something she was quickly finding annoying. She didn't know whether to be pissed or appalled. "Does your brother have any hobbies?" She asked. She could bear with this for only a few more minutes. She only had to ask one more question and make a hasty retreat.

"Kiba isn't as bright as he seems." Hana sighed, "Like I said, he's a shut in. He doesn't have friends like I do, and he doesn't get along with people all too well either since he can be a real hot head. I like to train and work really hard towards my goals; as far as I know he doesn't have any hobbies." She just kept nodding, trying her best not to correct the girl as she dragged her brother's name in the mud so brazenly, and even in front of their mother who said nothing to defend her son. She was almost done.

"Is there any questions you have for me, now that Kiba will be under my care?" She held her breath as she waited. Hana shrugged and leaned back, looking to Tsume who was taking a rather long drink of her tea. She sighed as she finished and shrugged her shoulders, "If he's not up to par, just let me know and I'll deal with him. That's about it for now."

Kurenai stood, "Thank you for having me here and offering me your hospitality. I greatly appreciate it. I have one more family to meet and so I apologize for the abrupt leave on my part. If you have any more questions for me, do not hesitate to ask." Tsume stood and stretched, "Don't mention it. Let's go out for lunch sometime, just like in the old days, huh?"

Kurenai really had to force a smile now, but inside she was ready to scream, "Of course, Tsume. Just like the old days. Have a wonderful rest of your day, ladies." She showed herself out.

It wasn't until she made it out of the compound gates that she sighed and let loose the frustration and anger inside her. She couldn't believe that someone would favorite one child over another and for a moment she wondered if this was the real reason why Yuuto was chased off. Did he, too, feel the rage of injustice for Kiba?

The genjutsu mistress pulled out her paper once more and started to make her way to the Hyuga compound. Last stop…

* * *

"My name in Inuzuka Kiba, and this is my partner Akamaru." The dog barked once on top of Kiba's head and for a moment Kurenai saw his father in him as he grinned. "Our clan is made up of Ninja dog partnerships. Akamaru chose me as his partner, and we train in a lot of man-beast arts.

"I like beef jerky, and training with Akamaru. I don't like celery or cats. My hobbies are painting and running with Akamaru. My dream is to become the a strong shinobi, just like…" He trained off for a second, pain flashing in his gaze. He tried for a smile and shrugged one shoulder, "I want to be strong like my pops."

A brief flash of pain struck Kurenai's chest and she couldn't help but wonder what would Kiba be like if Yuuto was still around. Perhaps he would be in a better situation but seeing the ferocity of Tsume on missions, she didn't doubt that his leaving really was his fault.

Kiba clung desperately to Akamaru, it seemed, seeing as how they apparently do everything together. Of course since they were companions, it was only natural that they spend all their time together, but they seemed to heavily depend on each other, more than she saw in any other Inuzuka and their ninja dog. They only had each other in that house and their bond was going to be their strength and their weakness.

Her last student to prod was the painfully shy heiress of the infamous Hyuga clan. Kurenai would admit that she couldn't watch the crystal ball showcasing Hinata's home life for very long, always finding herself feeling sick or angry.

The Hyuga treated her with no respect; not her father and definitely not her cousin. While the Branch members of the family had some small reason to dislike her, seeing as their hierarchy was much worse and much more controlling than the Inuzuka's, Hinata always did her best to be polite and gracious to her family.

She would watch with a green face as her cousin would brutally abuse her, her father break her, her sister ignore her and her family reject her. She was always unwanted and unloved and beaten simply for being different, for being 'weaker' than the rest of them.

What was worse, Kurenai knew her awful secret: her self harming and suicidal tendencies. If she wasn't trained better, wasn't a Kunoichi hardened by years of experience, she wouldn't have been able to stomach it all, and would have surely gone crazy to some point knowing that a child was going through such horrible torment that she would start harming herself and wishing for death as early as age seven.

She tried to meet Hinata's lavender eyes, but she wouldn't even lift her head. She was so broken and tormented that she couldn't find the courage or the strength to meet anyone's eyes or show her face.

* * *

Kurenai had been waiting quite a while to get into the compound to meet with Hiashi, almost an hour to be precise. She rolled her eyes in secret when the guards stiffly told her that she must wait to meet with Lord Hiashi. She was on a time limit, damn it, and she wanted to get this meeting over with as soon as possible.

She should have started with the Hyuga's first, seeing as how they were rigid traditionalists who made time for only themselves. Everyone else had to build their schedules around them, since the royal, conceited Hyugas relented to no one, save the Hokage.

But even after knowing all of this, she knew that if she met with the Hyuga clan first, she wouldn't have enough energy for the other two.

Kurenai sighed and tapped her foot impatiently, getting ready to cast a genjutsu over the guards when a tall, thin man in white approached her. The bright green seal was glaring against the grey, white and beige that was the compound, as well as this man's attire. She almost felt bad for him, but refrained from such thoughts as she was only here to speak with Hiashi.

"Apologies for the wait mam," His voice was toneless and detached, "Lord Hiashi is training his daughter at the moment and is unavailable for a formal meeting." Kurenai brushed him off, "I just need to inform him of my involvement with Lady Hinata; that's all. I don't care to have a formal meeting, I'll take what I can get."

The man nodded and sighed, "Very well." He drawled, "This way." He turned on his heel and slowly walked through the compound.

Kurenai took the opportunity to have a look around, as this would be her first and hopefully last time visiting. She took note of the displays of fortune and rolled her eyes at their vanity. The Hyuga were so proud of their fortune and clan secrets and riches, as they should be in their own rights, but not to the extent where they have to remind themselves all the time

After the Uchiha Massacre, their ego had reached new heights and Kurenai couldn't help be disgusted every time she saw one of them pass by adorned with gold and jewels. If she could recall correctly, they were the most snobbish and selfish when it came to donating money for the village, complaining that they put the most in but then bragging about it shortly after or throwing that fact in everyone's face at meetings when they wanted things to go their way. It was pathetic, honestly.

The sound of yells and battle grew near. Kurenai braced herself to see Hinata and was almost surprised to see that it was the youngest daughter, Hanabi, instead. She knew that Hiashi favored her more, so it would make more sense to train the 'stronger' child and focus on building her up instead of the 'weakling' child.

"Lord Hiashi," Kurenai bowed before the guide could say anything, "It's a pleasure to meet with you. My name is Yuhi Kurenai and I will be taking your daughter, Hinata, under my wing as her new Jounin instructor. I came to ask questions about you daughter, in hopes to gain a better understanding of her, as well as answer questions you may have concerning her training."

He didn't say anything, keeping his eyes trained on Hinabi who was struggling to stand. Kurenai waited, her eyes boring into the man's skull as she waited. She was not going to be discouraged or ignored by this pompous asshole.

"Whatever questions you have, ask them; I do not have much time to idly chat." Kurenai smiled deceptively sweet, a training defence she had built when dealing with agonizingly irritating people. "Of course," She only needed to ask three questions. That's it.

"What can you tell me about Hinata's work habits here at home?" Hiashi scoffed, almost offended that she ask something at all. "She does what needs to be done." Was all that he said.

Kurenai ground her teeth but pressed on. "What about her hobbies? Things she enjoys?" She nearly flinched when she saw him effortlessly strike Hanabi as she came after him with a kunai. She knew he withheld chakra from the attack, but that didn't mean he withheld his strength, as seen from the way his daughter flew back.

"Your form is weak." He commented strictly, "Try again. As for Hinata's 'hobbies', she should focus on becoming stronger; instead all she does in play in the dirt of the gardens and seclude herself to her room, reading scrolls that have no benefits as a shinobi. She'll even cook food in the kitchen by herself as if she were a commoner! It's appalling."

Hanabi ran at him again, shouting a battle cry as she thrust the kunai with all of her might. He sent her flying back once more, "Improve your stance, Hanabi; I will not repeat myself."

His angry eyes turned to Kurenai, who met them bravely, "You are asking me useless questions that have no value to Hinata's growth in whatever 'career' she has left. It was a miracle she managed to pass at all. She was not the top of her class and she has no prowess as a kunoichi whatsoever. She wishes to be a medical ninja instead. Its disgraceful! The Hyuga are a proud clan of warriors, not passive healers."

He paused for a second, watching Hanabi stand and breathe heavily as she adjusted her stance. She wondered for a second why he stopped before she felt a shy, almost unnoticeable chakra signature sneak it's way down the hallway. It was Hinata. Kurenai could only imagine she was here to see who was invading the compound, as they didn't allow many people in. apparently the servant didn't notice but she definitely knew that Hiashi did, as it was his own daughter.

"The Hyuga have no use for a weakling like Hinata." Hiashi said, fully aware that Hinata could hear him. Kurenai almost couldn't believe he would say such a thing with Hinata listening, let alone in front of her sister, but he didn't stop there, "I don't care what you do with her or how you train her. She is nothing to us and she will fail either way, and when she does, we'll have her married and sent away to salvage whatever honor she'll have left. If there is nothing more, you may show yourself out. I have a more deserving daughter to train."

Kurenai almost reached for her kunai pouch but swallowed most of her killing intent down. "As you wish, Hyuga." She spat the name like a curse, earning a Byakugan enhanced glare in her direction from the servant, to which she ignored.

She walked away towards the front, leaving the servant behind. She looked for Hinata, who was already walking away, turning the corner of hallway back the way she came. Kurenai knew what she was going to do once she reached her room.

She hurried down the hall and turned the corner just as Hinata was going up the stairs. "It's going to be alright." She called out. Hinata stopped in her tracks and stood there a moment. She didn't make a move to turn around or acknowledge her. "It's going to be alright," Kurenai repeated, "I promise you that." Receiving no other response, she took that as her cue to leave.

* * *

"Um… My name is Hyuga Hinata," The poor girl was trying to raise her voice to be heard. "I come from a long line of dojutsu users that allow us to see almost 360 degrees around us as well as your chakra pathways, allowing our Gentle Fist to close them."

She seemed to hesitate, thinking about what to say next. Kurenai nodded her along, mentally giving her encouragement as she continued, "I like butterflies and cinnamon buns. I dislike crab and shrimp. My hobbies are gardening, making medical salves and cooking. My dream is to become a capable shinobi and bring honor to my family name." Shino and Kiba stared at her, surprised, and Kurenai couldn't help but feel that she made a sort of impact with her words.

"Now that we all know each other better," She announced, "I must tell you that this is only the first part of your test. The second part will be tomorrow. If you do not pass this second part, you will fail altogether and be sent back or sent away from the academy."

She expected the silence but didn't expect Kiba to jump up, "That's totally bogus!" He growled, "We didn't come all this way just to fail and be sent back! We'll pass your test no problem!"

Kurenai couldn't help but smile at his resolve and even more so when he saw Shino nod and Hinata lift her head to finally meet their eyes.

"Well then I suggest you all get plenty of rest for tomorrow," She stood up and began to walk away, calling out to them, "I can't wait to see what you have in store." She left them there, walking back to her own home to prepare.

* * *

As she laid in bed that night she couldn't help wonder how well they were going to do for her teamwork test. She also hoped that by bringing them together, three neglected and abused children, they would find connections and comfort within each other.

Shino was emotionally neglected, Kiba was a victim of sibling abuse and favoritism, and Hinata was a combination of both and more. Shino repressed his pain, Kiba was nearly a nervous wreck and Hinata was suicidal. Maybe if they somehow realized this, and overcame their differences, they would have an unbreakable bond, something much stronger than any of the other teams would have.

She had faith in her new students and a sudden new hope for the future; something she hadn't had in a very long time. She wouldn't say she had a bond with them yet, or had any real caring feelings, let alone love, for them, but she did want to keep them safe and make them stronger. Until something was built between all of them, she would have to do her best to train then and remain emotionally uninvolved. Their friendship has to grow naturally.

She nestled further under the covers and sighed. Tomorrow was the big day to see them make it or break it; and if they proved themselves, she promised herself that she would do her best to protect them, build them up and turn them into the most badass team of killers.

She smiled at the thought and closed her eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: I'm almost finished with getting everything in order. Thank you everyone for the encouragement and patience while I finish my move. I have been working late into the night one this chapter and have applied for an over night shift at my new job, which will hopefully go through. Thank you all once again!**

 **Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of its other name rights. Happy Reading!**

* * *

It was a bright and early morning for all genin who would take one of the most important tests to determine their ability as a ninja. Would they be able to pass and move on? Or were they going to fail and be sent back to the academy for another year? Some may not even be able to go back at all, depending on how badly they fail.

Some of the Jonin have been planning for months on how to execute their tests while others, not so much. Kakashi sighed as he opened a box on his nightstand containing two bells. Asuma was on his way to the site, smoking a cigarette before it all started.

Kurenai, on the other hand, was already on the site and prepared. She had talked to the Hokage beforehand about her plan. She was going to drive them to depend on the other's strength by hitting key weaknesses they all seemed to have. Shino's weakness was close combat. Kiba's weakness was planning and Hinata's weakness was confidence and stamina.

If Shino could create a plan using Kiba's speed, his bugs, and Hinata's eyes then he would fulfill his role for both. Kiba would probably need to come in to save Shino and Hinata from Kurenai's attacks. Hinata would have to use her eyes to see through the genjutsu. Ultimately, they needed to find the value of each other and work together as a team. If all else failed, she would have to resort to Plan B.

She sighed and stretched her arms. She was really hoping that they would find each other on their own. The potential they all head in working together was a great one, full of amazing possibilities. She would not let this go to waste.

A figure in the distance caught her attention. Kurenai was surprised to see it was Kiba with Akamaru right beside him. Both seemed to be chewing something as they walked over.

"Good morning Sensei," He managed with his mouth full. Akamaru yipped in greeting, wagging his tail. Kurenai nodded at them, taking in their appearance. Kiba looked as if he dressed in a hurry, seeing as how his sweater wasn't zipped up and his forehead protector was on crooked.

She briefly wondered if he was in such a hurry to get out of the house that he just threw everything on and ran out.

A lone figure caught her eyes once more as the female of the team approached. Her head was cast down and her fingers poked together in an effort to calm her anxiety. Kurenai noticed that as she approached, Kiba stiffened up and his nose twitched. He refused to look back at her, a knowing look painting over his features.

Shino appeared after her, not too far behind but not moving to walk with her either. It seems that Hinata's attempt at the first step was not as appreciated by her teammates as Kurenai had hoped.

Kurenai decided to put an end to the awkward atmosphere and straightened up, "Now that you're all here," She began, "We shall begin the test; but before any of that, we need to go over the rules." Kurenai pointed to the sky, "You will have until sunset to complete your test. The area will be limited to the training grounds only and you must attack to kill. Seeing as how you're only genin, the chances of you actually killing me are very small, but we are shinobi; we were made to be killers."

Her genin shared a look of hesitance but seemed to accept it nonetheless, "I will not go easy on you, and if you cannot pass my test you will fail and be sent back home or to the academy. I expect all of you to do your best. Now then," She started to go through hand signs, "Find and catch me before sunset." and she disappeared.

Team Eight was dumbstruck for a moment until Kiba shook off his surprise first. "We can do that no problem!" He exclaimed, "Akamaru and I have the best noses around. If we can track her scent, we can find her and catch her! Come on Akamaru!" Akamaru yipped and followed Kiba as he took off to the north.

Shino sighed, "What if that doesn't work?" He asked, fully aware that Kiba could hear him. The Inuzuka heard him and stopped in his tracks. Whirling around, Kiba glared at the Aburame who decided to finally speak to him, "What do you mean?" He asked suspiciously, "Are you saying that I can't do it?"

Shino adjusted his glasses, "Yes. Why? Because she is a fully capable jonin while you are a genin fresh out of the academy. You have no plan other than to just find her, which is ignorant, even for you. We need to capture her, not blindly chase after her." Kiba could hear the contempt in his voice, the haughty tone that really showed what little faith he had in Kiba's ninja abilities, much less his intelligence.

He growled lowly, Akamaru following his master's lead as Kiba marched up to Shino and sized him up, "Then why don't you come up with a plan since you're just so much smarter than the rest of us?" He challenged, "If you could get your head out of your high horse ass, we might be able to get somewhere, but you won't because you think you're better than the rest of us. You wouldn't know the first thing about working with others since you just leave people alone to fend for themselves."

Hinata flinched, knowing Kiba was talking about her. Her cheeks began to burn in embarrassment and her breath come out in short gasps as she tried to calm herself.

Suddenly, she felt her eyes twitch.

Shino bristled at the underhanded insult and glared right back, "You talk as if you made any difference yourself. If I remember clearly, and I do, you don't exactly do your best to be reassuring company either. Maybe if you used your head more, you would see how pointless your persistence for fighting is and would make more effort to think before opening your big mouth."

He couldn't take it anymore; Kiba had, had enough. Within a flash, Kiba had grabbed Shino's collar and pulled back his fist to drive his sharp claws into his face. Shino braced himself, too surprised to do anything except allow the hit; not even his bugs were fast enough to help him.

It never came, however, as Hinata had her palm opened in front of Shino, Kiba's claws scarcely cutting her heavily calloused hand. Both males were shocked as Hinata would not only be fast enough to stop Kiba, but willing to put herself between them and their fight, which somehow ended up about her.

"Please," She whimpered, but not out of pain, out of sadness, "We shouldn't be fighting like this. We should focus on the mission right now." She wanted to say more, but her fear stopped her as she had realized what she had done.

She wasn't sure why, but her body moved on its own at that moment. She thought about Neji, if only for a split second, and how he had dug his nails into her own skin. Shino almost shared the same, albeit worse fate.

Kiba scoffed and pulled back, shoving Shino away who adjusted his glasses once more, "Fine," He snarled, "He's not worth my time anyway. I'm doing this mission with or without you guys. I can't afford to fail." He turned and walked away. Akamaru growled and barked once at Shino before trotting behind.

The young Aburame scoffed and walked away, using his bugs to track. He didn't need the help of that deranged mutt anyways. He almost glanced back to Hinata, thinking maybe he should take her along as a sort of thank you, but shook his head and continued on his way. She was an emotional burden he did not need weighing on him.

Hinata stood at a loss, not knowing where to go or who to follow. She bit her lip in an effort not to cry. She was alone again because she was somehow a big burden on both of her teammates. Neither wanted her around, Shino especially. Kiba just went on his own way, not really caring who was with him or not.

She sighed and activated her Byakugan. She might as well do something instead of cry the entire time.

* * *

Kurenai was not pleased. No. Not at all.

She was disgruntled when Kiba and Shino started to call each other out and argue and she nearly blew it when she saw Kiba about to strike his teammate. She almost went down to confront them herself, but she didn't. She stopped herself because she knew they needed to learn on their own, they needed to grow themselves.

She almost didn't see the Hyuga move to protect Shino from Kiba's wrath and without hesitation. She did so quickly, obviously surprising the two males and even herself. Kurenai leaned forward, hoping that her defense would mean something, that her words would somehow motivate them to work as one. She wasn't surprised, however, as both males turned their backs and decided to work alone, leaving Hinata to herself.

She really didn't have the patience to fight them each one on one, kick their ass into the next war and then drop a huge hint along the lines of, "Maybe if you fucking worked with your fucking team like you're fucking supposed to do, you wouldn't be eating shit right now." No, no. Kurenai was always the direct, straight to the point, kind of person. She didn't like hints and although she was their sensei, she didn't believe she had to teach them something so basic about being a TEAM of shinobi.

Kurenai also happened to be so impatient, that she expected everything to get done and for lessons to be learned almost immediately. Yes, a flaw in her own right, as most people were not as smart or brutally efficient; but it proved to be effective when applied correctly.

It was now time for Plan B.

* * *

Kiba wasn't sure where he was going in all honesty, but he trusted his nose, along with his partner's, and continued walking through the training grounds. He felt a little bad for leaving Hinata behind with that asshole but focused on his need to graduate instead.

A shuffle in the bushes startled him for a moment, putting him on guard. He drew a kunai and stood strong, "Come out and show yourself!" He smirked confidently, almost sure it was his leader until he noticed Akamaru shaking beside him.

"Akamaru?" He asked, bending down to touch his pup, "What's wrong boy?" He felt it then, a strong killing intent surrounding the area. It was almost too strong for him to resist moving to, but he shakily gripped his knife tighter in his hands and scooped Akamaru up in his arms, putting him in his jacket instead.

In the distance he found a woman slowly walking, her hands bloody and her face covered by a mask; she carried something on her shoulder. At first, he thought the woman was Kurenai but as he looked closer, he came to realize that she wasn't the woman.

He could smell the same red apple, cinnamon scent of Kurenai in the air tinged with a strong copper scent and the realization left him frozen, No, that walking figure wasn't Kurenai, but rather she was the object the woman was carrying.

He started to panic, hyperventilating and shaking violently. He had to get out of here.

But wait. His team. Hinata, even that asshole Shino. They were still pleasantly unaware of this psycho walking around. He pushed the majority of his fear aside and ran back the way he came. He would get his team, get out, and get help. No way was he going to let them die.

* * *

Hinata noticed the menacing chakra signature just as Kiba started running her way. She was confused as to why it was here and felt a fear grow in the pit of her stomach as she stared at its network longer. The threat was moving in a slow, methodical way, wanting to be noticed and it sure was noticeable to her. It was maybe five-hundred to six-hundred yards away, she would be able to see it clearly without her Byakugan once they got closer.

She carefully hid under a bush and watched closely. She saw a strange lump that the mysterious ninja carried on its shoulder. Deciding against her better instincts, she focused her vision on it, seeing that it was a body. She couldn't identify it, as she would only be able to see it's chakra network, but her blood ran cold when she realized that it had none; that body was a dead one.

She expanded her vision as much as she could and looked around for her sensei, panicking. She saw two signatures instead and followed them. It was Kiba and Akamaru heading her way. She noticed the slight color of a pale, sickly yellow in their auras; the color of fear. That would mean they knew what was going on. She glanced once more at the figure and headed their way, hoping to get answers.

Kiba nearly ran into her, drawing his kunai before he realized it was the shy Hyuga female.

"Kiba," She whimpered, "Who is that strange shinobi?" Kiba's eyes were darting around, searching behind her. "Where's Shino?" He asked.

Hinata shook her head, "He left me behind. That person is carrying around a dead body. What's happening?" She could feel the same fear creeping up her spine, spreading chills down her arms and sending her mind into overdrive.

Kiba reeled back, glancing in the killer's direction. "Are you absolutely sure?" His voice was cracking in fear, Akamaru began crying out. Hinata nodded grimly, "If it was a genjutsu I would have been able to see through it. But the body had no chakra running through it, which means…" She didn't want to say it again. She was already shaking.

Kiba grabbed her arm and began running."We have to find Shino and get out of here; that body was Kurenai! We have to get help!"

Hinata didn't need to be told twice. "Byakugan." Her eyes searched as far as they could go, searching, searching until they found Shino following his kikaichu. "He's just southwest of us, near a giant oak tree."

They both ran as fast as they could. Kiba almost didn't wait for the heiress, since she was slower than he was, but he didn't want to risk her being by herself so he continued to drag her behind him. He just hoped they were going to make it.

* * *

Shino frowned when he suddenly felt a pulse of foreign chakra ripple through the training grounds. He knew it was not Kurenai, and neither Kiba nor Hinata were skilled enough to have created it. He began to walk to the source, intending to investigate.

He figured he had a little time since he had already planned Kurenai's capture, he was just waiting for his swarm to find her.

He was surprised to see a ninja in the far distance, carrying something on its shoulder. The ninja wore a black mask with white accents, almost resembling a sinister-looking geisha, a full, black bodysuit, with blood on her hand, but no headband. Shino wasn't sure if it was an illusion cast by Kurenai, but he was fairly certain that this shinobi couldn't have gotten in the village if it was not one of them. That would have been impossible… right?

A movement caught his eyes, quick enough to draw attention, before hiding once more. He turned and was surprised it was Kiba and Hinata, both with tears in their eyes and dread on their faces. "What has you two so worked up?" He asked though he had a feeling he already knew.

"We need to get out of here and get help!" Kiba whimpered, "That thing killed Kurenai!" Shino rolled his eyes, "That's impossible." He objected, "It's an illusion set by Kurenai to delay us. Hinata shook her head, "My eyes are trained from the moment we achieve the Byakugan; we can see through genjutsu. It's real!" Shino hesitated then, eyes narrowing.

"How do I know you're not a genjutsu either?" He demanded. Kiba groaned, "We don't have time for this!" He screamed, "That thing is coming to kill us!"

Shino still wasn't convinced. Kiba growled irritably, "Fine!" he seethed, "You were there when I asked Hinata for training." Shino turned to Hinata expectantly who blushed under his gaze and lowered her crying eyes, "You turned away from me when Kiba gave me the cinnamon roll." Shino felt a jab of remorse at the memory but nodded in satisfaction.

Regardless, he still refused to believe in the threat. "If this person really was a threat," He began, "The other jonin in the village would have taken notice by now. They couldn't have gotten in undetected and it would be too convenient, given the situation, to suddenly have a killer among genins. I will show you."

Shino stepped out of their cover to approach the murderer despite Kiba and Hinata's hushed yelling for him to return to them. The actual meeting itself was slow since the ninja was still taking her time getting to them. She was perfectly at ease, it would seem; not troubled in the slightest.

Shino bravely stood before her, flinching when she threw Kurenai to the floor. Neither made a move, and after a second Shino decided to speak up, "I don't know who you are, but you will not fool me." He challenged, "Your hoax is not appreciated nor convincing. I suggest you leave before things become detrimental for you."

He was only met with silence.

He noticed the lady reach behind her and pull out long, sharp senbon, slowly, as if to mock him. He remained undeterred, unmoving from pride and conviction. He, however, heard Kiba jump out of his hiding place and start his run towards him screaming his name.

She pulled back, and with a movement too quick for him to begin to follow, she flicked her wrist and sent the senbon flying towards him.

Shino figured that the senbon would fly past his ear; it was merely a ploy to scare him. But the closer the senbon got, to more he realized that it was not in fact, aimed around him, but aimed right for his throat!

Kiba tackled him from his right, taking the hit instead. The senbon went deep into his shoulder and he immediately felt a burning sensation spread. "Fuck!" He howled. Hinata shrieked behind them, holding Akamaru who yipped and cried as he struggled in Hinata's grasp.

Oh. That's real.

This is definitely real

Shino looked up to the Ninja in shock, who merely tilted her head as she grabbed another set of needles from behind her. "Run!" Hinata cried, "Get out of there!" Kiba struggled to his feet. Shino yanked on his jacket as they ran, Hinata close behind.

They raced towards the village, shouting as they went. Shino never felt a fear this intense before. He found himself breathing hard and even crying. Hinata stopped suddenly, her eyes practically a waterfall, "Barrier," muttered. Shino turned towards her, "What?" He demanded.

Hinata fell to her knees and loosened her hold on Akamaru, who sped into Kiba's arms, "It's a chakra barrier," She sobbed, "No one can see or hear us. Even if they could, they couldn't come in. We're trapped." Shino's head was whirling, "Can you use your gentle fist on it?" There had to be something they could do, right?

"I'm too weak. Not even my cousin could break it down." Her voice was almost too thick with emotion to understand. Her nose was stuffed and beginning to drip, her tears wouldn't stop pouring.

Kiba whimpered in pain as the burning began to spread further with every movement that he made. "Can we please get these stupid things out of my arms in the meantime?" He grunted, "This hurts like a bitch." Hinata staggered over. Unwrapping the bandages around her leg, she measured out the length and cut it.

Shino acted as a shield for them, keeping a lookout. His bugs buzzed anxiously under his skin, loud enough for Hinata to hear. He wasn't sure what to do at this point. Never had he had to face something as dangerous as this. He figured they were way out of their league, as this ninja had skills above a simple jonin. Although the ninja was outnumbered, they were outskilled.

Think Shino, think.

"Where is that bitch?" Kiba asked, crying out when Hinata pulled a little too roughly on one of the senbon. She muttered a sorry and pulled slower.

"We need to find her location and track her movements, maintaining a safe distance until we could come up with a plan of attack." Shino looked to Kiba surprised. He didn't think the boy was smart enough to come up with that on his own.

Kiba grinned mockingly, "Thought I was some dumb mutt, huh?" He almost teased. Shino didn't have to say anything, Kiba already knew. "That's what a lot of people think, but I don't care. I know I'm smart and I don't have to prove myself to you or anyone."

It was quiet after that as Kiba was lost in thought, Shino was keeping a lookout and Hinata was finishing up Kiba's arm.

As she tied it off, Kiba shrugged her off and stood, "Thanks." He muttered lamely. Hinata said nothing as she stood with him, hugging herself unsurely as both males began to think.

"We need to find a way to take down the enemy and dispel the chakra wall so we may escape." Shino was open to ideas at this point. He had never worked with a team before and he sure wasn't the most talkative student, but now that it seemed his survival was dependent on his cooperation with Hinata and Kiba, he decided that team work was essential.

Kiba frowned as he thought, "First, we need to know where she is. Hinata, can you track her movements?" Hinata jumped at being called on so casually.

She wasn't used to having people actually needing her for anything remotely important. She couldn't let them down now, not while they were ignorant to her weakness. "I can try," She whispered. Her bloodline activated and she searched.

Her Byakugan was not as strong as the rest of her family's, given that she discovered it at the age of eight. She was considered to be a late bloomer compared to her sister, who discovered her ability at the age of five. Her cousin, the ever angsty teen genius, discovered his bloodline at the age of three, almost four.

Hinata was constantly compared to both, never being good enough as the heiress, as the daughter of the clan head or as a Hyuga in general. Seeing as how she was constantly berated for her lack of ability and her sweet, generous nature, she was never encouraged to keep trying, only bullied or forced to do so.

Her skills were weak because her confidence was weak and her confidence was weak because it was destroyed by a narrow minded clan. Hinata knew this but she did nothing to stop it. She figured that Neji was right in that she should allow fate to render her weak and control her destiny; and her destiny was to be weak. An image of her being sealed flashed through her head again. Her destiny was to be sealed.

"I found her." The menacing chakra was hard to miss, "She's about seven hundred feet away and closing. She knows where we are."

Kiba frowned, "We have to at least try to trick her or something." He muttered, "What if we somehow trap her? Would she be distracted long enough for us to land some kind of hit or send some kind of signal?"

Shino shook his head, "It would have to be a very complicated and skilled trap. She's a skilled jonin, maybe even farther above that." He turned to Hinata who was still watching the woman. "Hinata," He called out. The girl in question jumped once again and looked at him. "Do you think you would be able to hit the woman if Kiba and I hold her long enough to give you an opening?"

Hinata looked to the ground in shame, "I'm too weak." She muttered, "I'm not skilled in my family's taijutsu and what if I mess up and make it worse? I'm a failure." She whispered the last sentence, making Kiba and Shino glance at each other in disbelief and slight concern.

"You're only weak if you make yourself weak." Kiba stated, earning a weak bark from Akamaru and a shocked look from Hinata. "If you want to stay weak then keep doing what you're doing. Only weak people give up even if they have the chance to fight back and do something great." He looked to Shino meaningfully. 'Say something that will inspire her.' His face screamed.

"He's right," Shino nearly hesitated, "Why would you allow yourself to be weak instead of working towards the goal of becoming stronger. If not for the people you love and cherish, then do so for yourself." Hinata stared at her teammates for a heartbeat, and then two.

She obviously wasn't used to have been given a pep talk from anyone other than Ko, and even then it was just him reassuring her that there was nothing wrong with her, nothing about getting stronger and doing things for herself for a change. It stirred a feeling in her chest. It wasn't anything close to a fire, nothing that she could burn on with, but something warm, like a dull ember of hope. It felt… nice.

In a rare moment of confidence, Hinata bravely nodded and held her head higher, "I'll do it," She vowed, "I'll try to hit her as hard as I can."

Kiba smirked at her, "Thatta girl," He jeered, "Now that's what I'm talking about!" Shino felt something akin to pride for her, pride that he helped her become a little braver, a little more confident, and without his knowledge, a little more happy; happy to finally have someone who believed in her.

"Team Eight is not over yet." Kiba said positively, "We're going to work together and get out of here or die trying like true ninjas. Who's with me?" He thrust his fist out on front of him, eyeing his teammates mischievously. "I would prefer to avoid death but I suppose that is one way to view it." Shino repeated the action stiffly, almost scared of the first positive human contact he had in years. Hinata nodded and did the same, "I'll do my best!" She was content.

Kiba grinned wider, "Alright, Bug Boy," He joked, "What's the plan?"

* * *

It was quiet in the training grounds. There was no sight of anyone, not even the mysterious woman who had been roaming a few short minutes before. Kiba laid low to the ground and waited for any sign of the enemy.

Hinata was definitely shaking, most of her earlier bravado having worn off. She hid in the tree as she was told, waiting anxiously for something to happen.

Another chakra pulse rippled through the air, strong and almost overwhelming. She was there suddenly, Kurenai gone and knives in her hands. She looked around carefully, eyeing the treeline and underbrush for the genin.

Shino pressed himself further into the tree, counting the seconds that passed in order to calm himself. Timing was absolutely vital in the plan and if one thing were to go wrong, they would all die. He couldn't let that happen.

Even if Kiba was a hardhead and HInata was a bit of a crybaby, it was his duty as their teammate to make sure they are safe, even at the cost of hi own life. Never let it be said that he didn't have a heart.

He peeked around the tree again and saw that the woman was still walking forward, albeit slower that he was hoping for.

He armed himself with a kunai bomb and aimed carefully, so as not to be seen. If he was able to place it just before her, Kiba was able to attack when it exploded, giving Hinata an opening from behind to strike. Shino and his bugs were going to be used as backup, sucking the chakra from his enemy's body.

He counted the pace from ten, shaking more as the numbers lowered. As quickly as he could he threw the explosive at her feet, jumping away from her as it went off. Kiba rushed from under the brush, Akamaru at his side. "Let's go Akamaru!" He yelled, receiving a yip in reply.

Kiba thrust his own kunai as hard as he could at the body skidding back from the blast, not charred or the least bit injured as far as he could tell. His kunai was met with her own, as she turned to face him with a rising killing intent.

It was sickening, churning the contents of his breakfast in his stomach. His breathing picked up and his hairs were standing completely on end, while his instincts were screaming for him to run away. He nearly did, but he remembered Hinata and Shino counting on him to stick with the plan, their lives depended on him and he wasn't going to turn his back on them.

With his resolved strengthened, Kiba pushed against the opposing kunai as hard as he could, grunting with effort. He managed to push her back a few inches, but was quickly overpowered and kicked in the stomach. He nearly threw up.

Hinata was cursing herself for hesitating, watching as her teammates were putting their lives on the line to escape, for her to land one hit that could mean the difference between life and death. And she was hesitating.

She had never taken a life before, and she knew that she would have to soon, but couldn't bring herself to even think about it. It was hard to continue, and she was seriously considering giving up and allowing this woman to kill her.

A cry of pain brought her attention back to the fight. Kiba was just thrown back, almost landing on Akamaru, while Shino was running out of his hiding place, bug swarming behind him. They were fighting for their lives, and some part of Hinata knew that they would be fighting until their very last breaths. They were waiting for her, for her to do as she promised.

She realized then that if she gave up, they would all die, and she would have died a coward, just like Neji said she would, Like her father predicted and prepared for. Her sister would have the title, and the Hyuga would move on without her. Shino and Kiba's families would mourn over their loss and Naruto would never knew how she felt. SHe would never be strong then.

She couldn't let that happen. She couldn't let her team down, not when they were just beginning. They told her to be strong, and if she couldn't be strong for herself, than she was going to be strong for her team. That was a promise!

Hinata flew out of the trees, hands covered in a light sheen of chakra. She had to land this hit, she had to kill this woman or everyone would suffer. Hizashi's face flashed through her mind, strengthening her will of fire.

She winced as Shino was thrown to the ground, but she was still unnoticed. She lifted her hands and with a powerful battle cry, she threw them forward, aiming for a lung and kidney.

She was surprised to have been flipped over and pinned to the ground by her neck. She did her best to lift her face out of the dirt and began to flail wildly, hoping to land some sort of hit.

"Hinata!" Kiba felt a rage go through him as Hinata was shoved into the dirt. Shino attempted to get up, shaking with effort, feeling anger as well.

Kiba started to scream, running blindly at the woman who was now stepping on the Hyuga's head, adding pressure to keep her there. He wasn't going to let her kill Hinata while he was still breathing.

Shino did his best to attack, feeling his legs tremble under him, "Release her!" He raised his voice for the first time in years and sent his bugs to attack.

A sudden wave of lightning emitted from the mystery woman, killing the bugs and electrocuting Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino with the overwhelming foreign power.

Killing intent flooded the air, choking the young team. Hinata cried out as the pressure increased and began to sob out of fear and pain. "Kiba, Shino, get out of here!" She yelled, "She's too strong, just run, please!"

Kiba tried to sit up, completely in pain, "No way Hinata," He whimpered, "You're our teammate! We're not giving up on you!"  
"Kiba is right," Shino grunted with effort as he tried to stand, "We are a team and we're not going to abandon you, not again."

The woman, uninterested in the sentiment, drew her kunai and senbon once more, aiming for vilat points on their bodies. She slowly pulled back, when a hand on her shoulder stopped her, "That's enough."

Kiba gaped as Kurenai stepped from behind the enemy, completely fine and clean of blood and injuries. What the fuck was going on?

* * *

Kurenai couldn't help but give herself a pat on the back for having come up with Plan B. The Hokage was insistent that it wasn't going to work, saying that adding the unnecessary threat was going 'too far', but seeing as how her team finally admitted that they were as well as worked as a team, she couldn't wait to rub it in his face.

Kiba was gaping at her, obviously angry and surprised. Shino was probably in the same state, and even though Hinata was face down in the dirt, she knew that she was in shock.

"Anko, if you could let Hinata up from the ground." She gently pushed the woman back who moved away and took off her mask, "Man this one almost got me with that jutsu of hers, whatever it was." A woman with violet hair and dark golden eyes grinned maliciously at the students before turning to Kurenai once more, "They're tougher than they look Kurenai."

Kiba was glaring now as the woman spoke so casually to his sensei, who, by the way, was supposed to be dead, "What the fuck is going on?" He screamed, "You're supposed to be dead! We saw you! And who the fuck is she?" Kurenai sighed and smiled tiredly, "Yes I suppose you deserve and explanation." She muttered, "But first, I should heal you all up. We can't have you limping as we go out to eat for lunch, right?"

"I think we could all agree that eating is the furthest thing from our minds right now," Shino answered, "Though I do appreciate the healing, I would rather prefer the explanation for your actions."

Anko rolled her eyes and laughed, "Where the hell did the Hokage find them?" She snickered, "They're so serious, even after all of that scaring. Lighten up kid, you were never in any danger. We just had to make sure you passed was all. Now wait until you're healed so your sensei can explain at the food joint."

Shino's lips pressed together in anger but he said nothing, Kiba, on the other hand, was not having any of it, "No!" He growled, "I want to know what the fuck just happened and why you scared the ever living shit out of us!"

Kurenai sighed and relented. As she was still healing Hinata, who was too frightened and confused to demand answers, she explained, "In order to pass to become shinobi, you are to meet a certain requirement in the test. At the beginning, you were doomed to fail, seeing as how Kiba lost his temper at Shino's rebuke; you both then intentionally left Hinata behind. Hinata, although stopping the fight and urging you to get along, gave up on trying to establish teamwork and went off on her own.

"That's what evoked Plan B. By creating a powerful common enemy between you three, I forced you all to work together and establish a sort of truce with each other to ensure teamwork and eventually a bond of friendship.

"The requirement to pass this test was teamwork. By Hinata willing to sacrifice herself to give you both time to escape, as well as you both refusing to leave her to die, proved to me, as well as yourselves, that you recognized each other as a team, as very important persons who will make an impact on your ninja career and your life as well.

"Your team are now one of the most important people in your life who you will now depend on and look to when a mission gets tough, when you lack a skill in training, or even when you need a shoulder to cry on. They will be your ally, your comrade, your friend, and your family. You will all grow together as shinobi and as a person. You are to never abandon, betray or intentionally hurt your teammates, for those who do, are worse than the scum of the earth and deserve to die."

Kurenai stared at them all very hard, pinning each one to place, "You all have more in common than you think. Build each other up, support each other, and love one another, when you feel ready. You have your whole lives to be better, why not be better together?"

It was silent as Kurenai gave them all a moment to reflect. She knew the necessity of instilling the importance of teamwork early in their lives, as they would learn more quickly to build relationships with other people who they would eventually work with, but it was more important in this case, as these three genin were without support and love from their own families; maybe then, they could find that in each other.

After everyone was healed, Kurenai lead them all into town, wandering around until a small sushi joint caught their eyes.

She ordered a round of tea for her team, a bottle of sake for her and Anko, and one of the biggest plates of their best sushi. "My treat." She said, once Hinata stuttered out that she could cover the bill.

"Now that we've ordered," Kurenai said, leaning onto the table with a smile at her new team, "Tell me about yourselves." Shino surprised everyone, being the first to say that he was interested in a new species of larva at one of the shops they had passed by. After thirty minutes of awkward silences, gentle prodding from Kurenai and abrasive questions from Anko, the table soon began speaking about everything they could think of, smiling and occasionally laughing quietly.

Shino seemed to relax as he listened to Kiba explaining a wild story concerning a giant wasp nest, while Hinata leaned forward in anticipation, completely enthralled. Anko smirked at her best friend, who smiled back in victory and the two shared a toast at a job well done.

* * *

Although they weren't friends, they were still Team Eight; and as we delve further into the story, we'll watch as they grow into shinobi and family…

…and killers…


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Hello again everyone! This chapter will be particularly lengthy as well as lighthearted compared to my first five chapters seeing as how it has a lot to cover. I tried to put in as much information as I could given the circumstances but admittedly, I was too excited to get to the good heartfelt, dark-toned chapters and rushed this one just a bit... or a lot...**

 **Regardless, I really hope you enjoy it. I'm writing the next chapter as quickly as possible and I hope to finish with that soon.**

 **For those of you asking me about my sister: yes, she is safe and well, and my family is finally moving on from the situation, so that means more time to getting my writing shit together and doing what I love most, creating stories for your enjoyment. Thank you all for understanding and sending me good vibes, it really means a lot to me.**

 **Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of its other name rights. Happy Reading!**

* * *

Kiba chased after the shadow with a burning fire in his eyes and Akamaru at his side; he was not going to let it get away again. He lowered himself on all fours now, his eyes darkening and his senses sharpening as he allowed himself a bit of release.

Shino rolled his shoulders uncomfortably, a strange ripple going down his back as he adjusted himself. He was still struggling with his control but found it easy to maintain as long as he stretched and arranged his muscles.

He and Hinata struggled to keep up with their canine teammates, but said nothing as they followed behind. Kurenai easily watched from a distance, eyeing her team critically

They were doing well so far, and she had to admit that it was a good idea for Kiba to lead the chase since he had a higher stamina than his team. Hinata was tracking it with her Byakugan and Shino was blocking off escape with his bugs. They were slowly backing the target into a corner with a surprising amount of efficiency.

"Target is within distance," Kiba wasn't even short of breath, "I need Shino to build me a wall and block it off."

Hinata tried to catch her breath. She timed the event slowly, feeling her eyes twitch as she looked past Shino, past Kiba and Akamaru, past the target, and past the chase. "Shino build a bridge over the oak trees on my mark."

Kurenai cast a glance at her student, wondering what she had planned. She was always curious of Hinata, as she was more than she let on. Some missions, she would be silent, almost accepting of their misfortune as if she had already known. Other times she would be a little clueless and struggling to understand or make sense of what was happening. Finally, there were times like this, where she was totally confident and determined, making commands and in a somewhat peaceful state.

After finding out what caused such behaviors, Kurenai was determined to learn more and make sense of it, for her student's sake and the village's.

"Drop it now." Hinata almost shouted, not wanting to sound too abrasive. Shino did as he was told and watched as hundreds of his bugs fell to the floor and on top of the target, pinning them down long enough for Kiba to catch them.

"Identifying target," He said, "Brown fur with stripes and a red bow on the right ear." Shino called his bugs back and nodded, "Confirmed. Good job everyone."

Two months ago, Kiba wouldn't have closely followed orders, Hinata would often struggle to speak, let alone give orders, and Shino would remain apathetic the entire time instead of providing praise where it was due. The team struggled to work together but succeeded in remembering why they work as a team in the first place.

Kurenai was by no means a nurturing, motherly type. She was a strong-willed kunoichi through and through and often struggled to properly care for her team emotionally. She had never gone through abuse or struggled to find love; she had always ignored it and trained her ass off to fill in the void.

There was also Anko, who she had stumbled upon one day. Anko knew what it was like to be outcasted better than Kurenai, and for some reason clung to her after their two-man ANBU mission.

Kurenai found love and acceptance through Anko, who in return, found it in Kurenai. Both women stuck together and formed a bond, which drove away Kurenai's loneliness. Kurenai learned then, from Anko, that strength was in the bonds you made, and she was hoping to instill that in her team.

She watched as Kiba held the squirming cat, Tora, by its scruff while Shino and Hinata congratulated him and Akamaru for the catch. Weeks of forced interaction and brutal training led to this moment, and frankly, Kurenai couldn't help but give herself a pat on the back.

* * *

"Today, my young students, we will be sparring together to practice coordination, create team attacks, assist each other in lacking areas, and build a stronger bond. Any questions?"

Kiba hesitantly raised his hand, "Sensei," He said, "How is fighting each other going to build a stronger bond? Wouldn't it cause problems if someone was better than the others?" Akamaru barked twice from on top Kiba's head.

Kurenai smirked in response, "Nonsense," She waved him off, "Some of my greatest friendships started from bleeding teeth or a broken nose at the hands of one of my comrades. The idea is to become familiar with each other and your fighting styles. If you know how the others move and work, then you are likely to identify when one or the other is tired or getting sloppy.

"Your unique perspective might also help. If your teammate is struggling to get a technique down, you may be able to point out where they are lacking or offer a new suggestion that they hadn't considered yet. You offer them a solution and advise them in ways that no one else can. You all need to know how each other works. It is vital. You are all Team Eight, and you will need to fight as Team Eight."

All three genin still seemed hesitant. Kurenai paused in thought a moment before a soft smile spread across her face, "You have your whole lives to become stronger, so why not be stronger together?"

The used quote sparked something inside them, something small, but big enough that Kurenai saw in their eyes. She inwardly grinned, happy to have found a morale that would motivate them together as one.

Kurenai cleared her throat, gaining their attention once more, "Kiba, Akamaru and Shino, I want the three of you to spar first, then we'll break for 10 minutes and then alternate. Afterwards, I will have all four of you fight at once, until only one of you are standing. We will have a review and talk to each other about what you think the others should do to improve the areas you're lacking in. I expect you all to do your best."

Shino stood in opposition to Kiba and Akamaru, who were both practically bouncing from excitement. He wasn't sure about how he was going to fight the over zealous dog boy, but he knew he had to end it quickly since Kiba had a higher stamina than he did.

"Begin."

Suddenly, Kiba took off running towards him. Shino was startled enough to have been hit, but recovered quickly to produce a counter strike. He watched Kiba carefully as he and Akamaru raced towards him once again. It seemed they liked to attack head on.

Shino dodged their attacks as best as he could, feeling himself sweat at the effort. Kiba definitely was fast, and having Akamaru nipping at his heels didn't help either.

He could see a strange look in Kiba's eyes as he attacked, almost as if he was enjoying himself a little too much. Shino was enjoying himself as well, never quite having this level of intense sparring with anyone else before, but he knew that the twisted, fanged smile on his teammate meant something more.

They played this game of cat and mouse for a while. Shino managed to take out Akamaru with a kick and he finally had an equal standing with Kiba, who had settled on attacking with his claws. He wasn't relenting any time soon, he had yet to even break a sweat. Shino focused solely on him for the moment, going through a hundred plans in his head on how to defeat this fast teammate of his in the quickest way. In doing this, he didn't realize that Akamaru had gotten up and was preparing and attack from behind.

Kiba smirked to himself and dove for Shino's legs. Shino of course jumped to avoid the attack but was surprised when a small, heavy weight crashed into his back. Kiba took the opportunity to grab Shino's jacket and slam him into the ground. He snickered to himself as Shino spat out dirt and attempted to stand.

Kiba immediately sat on his back and pulled a kunai out to hold at Shino's throat. "You need to learn to be faster if you're ever going to beat me, Shino." Kiba laughed good-naturedly. A cold tip on the side of his neck stopped the laughter immediately, "You should focus more on outsmarting me than your speed, Kiba." Shino said behind him. The clone underneath Kiba poofed away, dropping Kiba on his butt.

Kiba smirked, "Don't forget you're outnumbered." Akamaru leaped gracefully into the air and bit Shino's wrist, forcing him to drop the kunai. Kiba then spun around and punched Shino in the jaw, sending him a few feet back from the force.

A sharp burn spread down Kiba's arm. He looked to see it covered in bugs. "Fuck," He cursed, waving his arm around frantically. Akamaru started to whimper and bite himself, trying to get the bugs off as well.

Shino stood and watched as both dog and boy fell and writhed in pain. He felt a strange surge of satisfaction in seeing them roll around on the grass in agony. It was an amusing sight, that's for sure, but it was something more than that, something deeper than just amusement.

"Shino wins." Kurenai brought him back from the void. He recalled his bugs and curtly nodded to his sensei who was helping Kiba up. The multitude of bug bites on his arms and face were baffling, and Hinata couldn't help cringing back in horror when he sat beside her.

Kurenai started to go off on where both her students could improve. Shino needed to realize he couldn't always out-think his opponents and Kiba couldn't always rely on brute strength and speed. Both males nodded as they listened, taking the lessons to heart.

"Hinata and Shino will go next to give Kiba more time to recover." Kurenai didn't miss the way Hinata tensed up at the announcement she made. She was going to have to teach her student how to better hide her emotions.

Hinata had been dreading this. She really didn't want her team to know how awful she was at fighting and wasn't looking forward to being humiliated. Seeing Shino's match reminded her of her cousin and she felt the need to crawl into a hole and die.

She looked to Kurenai who was watching her calmly, no hint of criticism or displeasure. She was studying how well Hinata could fight, that was all. The lack of judgement relaxed her a little bit and she decided that she had to do her best if she wanted to stay on the team.

Hinata waited until Kurenai gave the signal before she ran to Shino with chakra coated palms. She would have to be careful of his bugs as she attacked, but she noticed that his hand-to-hand combat wasn't particularly great as he struggled a little bit with his footwork and attack.

Shino didn't know that she had this much fire within her. He saw frustration and anger and something dark pent up within herself that he recognized within himself and Kiba. He was wary of her palms, cursing that she realized his sloppy hand-to-hand combat, but he didn't let it deter him from victory.

He commanded his insects to gather behind her, making a small army of them. They started to creep up from behind, slowly making their way forward as he distracted Hinata. He was watching the bugs build themselves up, forming a wall. If he could keep her attention for just a few more seconds-Hinata suddenly stopped and dove to the side, just as the wave was starting to fall.

Shino looked into her activated eyes and cursed, he had forgotten about her dojutsu. He had to come up with another plan, and fast. If he could plant one of his bugs on her or have her stumble, even for a second, he would win. He began to throw bug after bug at her, smirking as a few landed.

Hinata ignored the stinging pain and continued her assault, she experienced worse from her family shutting off her chakra points. She could do this. She had to beat him.

A sudden twitch in her eye stopped her in her tracks. She stared at Shino who paused in confusion as well. A heartbeat passed, and then another. Hinata continued her attack, but noticed that she wasn't as fierce as before. She didn't bother to put any strength in her hits and her movements became sloppy.

Shino was confused. What had happened that she suddenly stopped trying? He glanced to Kurenai who was focused on Hinata now, frowning in thought. It seems that she wasn't sure of the sudden change either, but seemed to accept it for now.

If Hinata wasn't going to take the fight seriously, then Shino wasn't going to waste his time playing with her. He grabbed a kunai from his pouch and extended his hand, sending more bugs. Hinata didn't bother to dodge, allowing the hit, and fell to the floor. He approached and pointed his kunai at her throat, securing his victory.

Kurenai called them back and went over Shino's advice. She glanced at Hinata who had her head down, but said nothing. Hinata's head sunk lower, but was somewhat thankful that her teacher didn't call her out in front of the boys.

Her next fight with Kiba went as expected. He tried going a little easy on her, having a sort of soft spot for Hinata, but came out as the winner in a shorter amount of time than Shino, which Kurenai still said nothing about.

Finally, the team faced each other from opposite ends. Kurenai sat in a tree above them to better observe. She was still thinking of Hinata and her sudden lack of motivation to fight or attempt to win. It bothered her a lot, but she decided that she would talk to the Hokage about it instead.

"Begin." She called, leaning back and watching. Kiba and Akamaru were practically running circles around his team, as neither Hinata or Shino were fast enough to catch him. They attempted to fight him together at first, but with Hinata's lack of trying, she was the first to go down.

Kurenai nearly growled in frustration. Was she even serious of becoming a ninja if she was giving up all the time? She took a deep breath to calm herself, keeping in thought that Hinata was in a tough situation already with her family, and that she just needed guidance and a small push in the right direction.

Kiba had quickly learned how to defeat Shino, who had put up a really great fight. Kurenai saw his resolve in getting his speed and stamina up to par with Kiba's. She was proud to say the least. That was one less student she had to worry about for the time being. And that was something she could easily help with.

Kiba was starting to think outside of the box more, allowing for more use of his techniques. His speed and stamina were great, his strength was also good, but she wanted him to focus more on his agility and strategy. She would have to start giving him homework if she wanted to better the results.

"Great job." She told her boys, "Some things we should cover are our strengths.

"Shino you have a brilliant mind, but when it comes to anything else, you are average or lacking. You need to focus on bettering yourself physically. I suggest you start going on runs and exercising more. With hand-to-hand combat, we will remedy that with more team training.

"Kiba, you are in top shape, but you need to start becoming more creative with your attack and strategy. Not everyone is going to be thinking for you. Your agility could use some work too; so t fix both I will start sending you back with homework and yoga stretches to try. We will all now be practicing yoga and meditation to help stretch our muscles and expand our minds as well as chakra reserves."

Kurenai turned her eyes to Hinata who hid her face under her bangs, "Boys, you are dismissed. I want to talk to talk to Hinata alone."

Shino nearly hesitated but turned away and began to walk home. Whatever was happening wasn't any of his business. Kiba, however, did hesitate but gathered Akamaru into his arms and walked off, congratulating his pup on a job well done.

Kurenai stared Hinata down for a moment, thinking of what to say that wouldn't totally crush the girl. She had never had to think of her words before, usually just saying whatever came to mind, and she really hoped she wouldn't have to do it forever, but she knew that with Hinata it was a different case. She didn't want to come off as belittling or aggressive, but stern and helpful.

It didn't help that her father constantly gave her shit about not being good enough, tearing her down with words every chance he got. Kurenai cursed him a thousand times in her head for ruining Hinata mentally and emotionally. She was not the type who was good at comforting anyone, especially not children.

"Hinata," She started "I'm not sure what happened, and I'm not sure why, but I don't want this to be a reoccurring event. You had a lot of promise of winning your fight with Shino, so why did you give up so suddenly?" Hinata didn't say anything for a moment before she weakly responded, "I knew I wasn't going to win."

Kurenai sighed and frowned, "You don't know that for sure Hinata." She lightly scolded, "I realize that the Hyuga's are strong believers in destiny, but the one thing you should know about it, is that destiny is neither specific or set in stone. If you are are destined to fail, then you are destined to fail at failing. Or if you destined to be a failure then you have a chance to change that destiny. Do not allow yourself to be a victim, do not allow yourself failure. You are a shinobi, act like it. Go home, and think about what I've said."

She watched as the girl slunked back home and sighed to herself once more. She really needed a drink with Anko after this.

True to her word, the next day, they began with an easy yoga session, stretching their muscles, and ended with a meditation session. Kiba had issue with sitting still for so long, but eventually, he managed five minutes without moving. Kurenai figured it was good enough.

She occasionally saw Shino running around the village of spotted him doing push ups before anyone else got to the training ground. She would comment on his improvement subtly, watching as he would relax or brighten up very slightly at the praise. She knew he took pride in his training and so she would reward him with the recognition he craved, but did so quietly as to not embarrass him or make his effort to be acknowledged obvious.

Kiba was doing better on his assignments, showing them off proudly to Kurenai with a huge grin and eyes seeking approval. He would carefully listen to her instruction and suggestions, soaking the information up like a sponge. She too, gave him the praise he desired and watch as he brightened up considerably before promising to do better, in hope of more positive feedback.

All week she was having them spar one another; Kiba and Shino were showing promise, becoming creative on order to beat each other, but she noticed that Hinata was still lacking on, well, everything.

Since she had a talk with Hinata, she noticed no change with the girl. She still did not do her best, she still remained quiet and passive whenever there was a decision to be made, and she often gave up.

Kurenai was at her wits end. She had enough.

"Hinata," She suddenly called out. They were still in Tree Pose, trying to keep their balance. Hinata looked up in slight shock and fear. "I want you to spar Kiba today." Hinata only nodded, glancing over to Kiba who frowned in concern.

He could smell the frustration of his teacher, but he wasn't sure who it was towards. He will admit he was going easy on Hinata for most of their spars. He didn't want to hurt her or discourage her from fighting or being his friend. She was really nice and he wanted her to like him so they could be better teammates.

After their stretching, Hinata and Kiba faced each other on the field. Hinata was a nervous wreck and even Kiba was a little anxious, sparing Kurenai a worried glance. She purposely ignored it, focusing her red gaze on Hinata instead. She had to end this behavior once and for all.

With a nod from their sensei, the fight began. Kiba was, of course, going easy, testing Hinata's limits, her strength, but the poor girl was lacking. She struggled to land a hit, to trip him up, to do something worthwhile to her fight, but she failed each and every time. Why bother? She asked herself. She already knew how the match was going to end. Her eyes twitched, finalizing her decision. She was giving up.

"Stop." Kurenai's voice cut the air and stilled everyone. She felt rage at Hinata's lack of trying, but held back her wrath and took a calming breath instead. She knew she couldn't get too mad, but enough was enough. She either had to step up her game or give up because Kurenai wasn't having it anymore.

Kiba slowly moved out of the way, smelling anger now instead of frustration. Why was she so mad? Was he being too rough with Hinata? Did he need to be more gentle?

"Hinata," Kurenai called sternly, "Why are you giving up already?"

No one had said anything about it until now. Shino didn't want to be involved in any trouble, Kiba didn't want to hurt Hinata's feelings, and Hinata was too embarrassed to admit to it, but both boys were happy that Kurenai finally said something about it. After waiting so long to hear her even mention it, they were beginning to worry that nothing was going to be done to help their teammate in ways they couldn't.

Kurenai was staring Hinata down, arm crossed and brows furrowed. She wasn't going to let this go, not until she understood why. "I expect and answer, Hinata." She continued after her student said nothing, "I will not allow this to continue any further. You need to tell me why you are always giving up on your sparring."

Hinata was taking her time in answering her teacher, which was fine by her, since she was willing to keep Hinata there until she did. Finally, she looked up, staring her sensei in the eyes for the first time.

Kurenai refrained from gasping, as Hinata's lavender eyes were now a glowing, purple opal. "I know how the match is going to end." She spoke breathlessly, almost as if she were in a trace. Her eyes trailed to Kiba, who stood in awe and fear of her stare, "Kiba was was going to win after using a jutsu. Akamaru was going to distract me, giving Kiba the opening to attack and then pin me."

Kurenai was intrigued now, leaning forward in anticipation, "How do you know this, Hinata?" Hinata's eyes wandered back to Kurenai's, a serious expression on her face, "I can see it."

* * *

After that, Kurenai sent the boys home and took Hinata to the Hokage, who spoke with her for hours about her newfound ability. He made her promise to keep it a secret from her clan for the time being, until everything was figured out. At least, that's what he told her. He talked with Kurenai afterwards, asking more questions and listening thoughtfully in her answers.

"It seems that her dojutsu is awakening to a higher power, much like the Sharingan to the Mangekyou Sharingan." He surmised carefully. He took a long drag of his pipe and wondered how long it would be until Danzo would find out. He had to get Hinata outside of the village to perfect this training of her eyes, safe from the eyes of Danzo and his ROOT ANBU.

"I'll see what I can do about getting you and your team safety," He said, "For now, keep watch over your team and make none of them say anything about this."

* * *

Kurenai's eyes moved over to Kiba next, who was grinning proudly at having caught the cat as Akamaru trotted at his feet. She always thanked whatever god was watching over her for a student with speed and strength, meaning she wouldn't have to worry about training him in the basics of becoming faster or stronger, but with time she had noticed how careful he was at keeping his temper in check and making sure that he not hit too hard while sparring.

Some days he could come to training looking tired and worn out, his hands scratched and sometimes bloody. Often times if he got angry he would quickly become violent until Kurenai would intervene and threaten him. She recognized this behavior and looked into the crystal ball for answers but saw that his life at home was still the same. So why was he acting out?

It progressed as the weeks went by. Kiba was starting to unhinge, acting out on the slightest inconveniences and yell at anyone who looked at him wrong. At home, he isolated himself completely, save for Akamaru, and refused any type of social interaction until it was time to train. If he had a better mother or sister, they would be concerned, but lucky for him, they ignored his strange behavior and continued on with their lives.

Like with Hinata, Kurenai was letting it slide, ignoring the obvious problem in favor of observing and gathering information before countering it. Shino and Hinata said nothing, even if they were scared or nervous; they trusted their teacher to keep them safe and address the problem when the time was right.

Unfortunately, Shino was quickly losing his patience. Nevermind that Kiba was just always angry now, he was starting to yell all the time at Shino himself and Hinata. He didn't care that Kiba yelled at him, he did that a lot normally. Shino knew he was an ass sometimes, but that was Shino.

He started to lose it, when he turned on Hinata. This poor girl would make a suggestion or a comment and Kiba would turn and rip into her before suddenly diffusing and apologizing. She would shake and nod, not saying anything else for the rest of the day. Shino could recognize social anxiety and lack of trust, and with Kiba screaming all the time, it was starting to effect the team.

Now, he was waiting for the patience to end, from his teacher or himself, he didn't know, but he was waiting.

The time came when Kiba yelled at Hinata for the third time that day about her not being able to keep up with them. Shino watched as her eyes started to water and she hid her head in her arms as a sort of coping mechanism. Usually that would stop Kiba's attack, but this time he grabbed Hinata's arms and forced her to look at him. Shino felt his legs moving before he could register the thought.

He pushed himself between Kiba and Hinata and stood his ground, "Don't touch her." He warned. Kiba paused in shock before attacking Shino with newfound fury, "Who the fuck are you to tell me what to do, you fucking roach?" He screamed, "This is none of your business anyways, so get the fuck out of my face before I rip it off with my teeth!" Akamaru whined from on top of his head, which Kiba ignored.

Shino didn't move but he felt Hinata grab the back of his coat in support; she was supporting him in her own shy and fearful way, and for some reason, it gave him strength. "I'm not sure why you're acting like this, Kiba," Shino miffed, "But going as far as to lay a hand on a teammate is unacceptable. I demand that you not do it again for your own safety and for the safety of this team."

Kiba's eyes darkened at the order. Shino watched as he practically turned into another person. His teeth grew into something fearsome and large, and his hair stood on end. As he lifted his arm back to strike, Shino noticed his nails were replaced with actual claws. Kiba wasn't human anymore.

Kurenai had a grip on his arm before he could strike, glaring down at her student who suddenly shifted back as if nothing had happened. She didn't release him, however. She instead spun around, pulling him with her so that he faced her while her other two students were behind her safely. Kiba rubbed the area that Kurenai was gripping and looked away in shame.

"Kiba," Kurenai snapped, "Tell me why I am having to scold you on your behavior." The boy in question flinched, tail between his legs. "Because I was being a dick." He mumbled.

Kurenai thought for a moment before continuing, "Why have you been acting out?"

Kiba shrugged and kicked at the dirt for a moment, "I don't know why." He replied sadly, "I just feel angry all the time. It started a few weeks ago, when my sister and I were arguing about my training. She was being a total… bitch. I couldn't understand why she was being so unbearably annoying. After I got in trouble for 'starting it', I went to my room and just sat there angry until I went to bed.

"I was having a dream I was running through the forest with Akamaru, the same dream I had every night for as long as I could remember, but it would end after I met a pack of wolves. This time, they came up to me and sniffed my hand and licked me and accepted me. I felt so happy, but then they walked off without me. They stood at the top of a mountain, looking down on me, waiting for me.

"Since then, everything feels more intense. My taste, my smelling my hearing, even my emotions. Everytime I get a little frustrated or annoyed or angry, it just explodes and gets worse. I don't know what to do to stop it."

Kurenai thought some more, finally sighing in defeat and grabbing her student's hand, leading him to the Hokage.

* * *

More questions, more planning, more secrets; such was the job of Hokage. Old Man Sarutobi was finding himself intrigued but tired of the unexpected forces that were at work, as if Fate was writing a story for their own amusement but decided that they needed to speed up the process of these three shinobi to make them powerful in a meaningful and progressive flashback/time-skip. If that was the case, he needed Fate to give him a break with these "sudden discoveries of power".

"We'll need to give Kiba some sort of sedative to keep his aggressive behaviors in check." He sighed, taking a long drag of his pipe, "If two of your students are showing promises of such amazing power, the third one is likely to be close behind. I say keep a eye on your quiet Aburame. I've heard stories about the abilities they can develop and it would be best to find out about it soon."

* * *

Finally, Kurenai looked to her quiet student, Shino. She watched over him, as instructed by her Hokage.

He was brilliant, almost passing for a Nara instead of an Aburame. Weeks went by and nothing extraordinary happened. Kurenai knew that he was waiting too. He watched himself and waited with Kurenai to see if maybe he would have a sudden growth spurt in power. While Hinata and Kiba were somewhat practicing their new abilities, Shino was being practiced on and he did not like it.

He wasn't jealous of his teammates, not at all. He was proud of them, more proud that he was still able to keep up with them regardless of their unfair advantage. But the longer it became, the more he thought, the more he considered, and the more he felt the need to keep up.

He worked himself to the bone, training every moment he had. He read up on clan techniques and studied each and every written jutsu he could find. He was growing increasingly frustrated over the lack of results but refused to voice the frustrations to his team or his parents. He was going to work ever harder to be on equal ground with his team, he just had to.

He wished Torune was still with him. Torune, who possessed rare poisonous insects that could destroy the cells of his enemies with a simple brush of the skin. He couldn't attend the academy with him, seeing as how he was in danger of putting children at risk. Shino was all he had.

Torune was unfeeling, just like his parents, but when he was with Shino, he became more open, more alive than Shino had ever seen in any Aburame besides himself. He was the one who taught Shino how to feel and how to breathe easier. He taught Shino to be human and he often told Shino, in his own way, that he loved him. Torune was his brother.

Shino also remembered when that man, Danzo, came poking around his clan grounds, asking the boys questions while his parents watched from the kitchen window. Danzo especially liked Shino since he was the clan's heir, but somehow, Torune knew to go in his place. He knew that something was not right with ROOT, and in order to spare Shino from becoming emotionally dead and void like their parents and the rest of the clan, Torune left for ROOT in Shino's place. He left so that Shino could live and build bonds and love.

Somehow, without anyone's knowledge, Shino procured his brother's insects, carefully breeding them with his own in order to keep some part of his brother with him, even just in memory. Having felt such heartbreak at his leaving, Shino cut off any ability to become attached, and continued on with his daily life, forcing himself to conform to the ways of the Aburame robot lifestyle. No feelings, no bonds, no love.

And so, Shino continued with his daily routines of training, D ranked missions and researching. He knew that his teacher was watching him for any sign of talent, but he was quickly finding it to be a waste of time. Maybe Fate had a different plan for him instead?

Nope.

* * *

Just when he thought that Fate was finished playing with him, the Hokage found Shino in his room with a scroll in his trembling hands and an excited pep in his step. He glanced out of the window, to the sky, and briefly scowled in irritation and hatred. Damn you Fate for rushing the plot.

"Lord Hokage," Shino bowed and presented the scroll, "I have found this in my room this morning at the foot of my bed. It has a strange seal that is most intriguing. I have never seen it before in any of the Aburame archives." This was his chance, Shino thought, to be caught up and not left out. Shino was very excited to be able to produce something worthwhile just like his teammates, not that he would ever admit it.

However, he was also wary of this sudden appearance of this scroll. He had been studying every type of evolution and advancement in his clan abilities, finding his efforts futile. Every scroll he read was a dead end, and though he may not have the genius intellect of a Nara, he was very certain that he would have remembered reading, much less seeing this scroll.

Hiruzen stood and walked over, taking the scroll from the boy's hands and reading the contents. This was something he had only ever seen once in his life. A sealing jutsu that would enable the user abilities not unlike an insect themselves.

When he was a very young boy, Hiruzen had seen an old woman, an Aburame, use this seal to grow wings from her back and a stinger like a wasp from the base of her spine, long and sharp and deadly. She was not unlike a wasp, angry and unrelenting, but she was the last Aburame to have such a jutsu. He had never seen it again, and yet, here it was, in his hand and found in the bed of Shino.

"Shino," He started, "Do you know what this is?" Shino hesitated before answering, "It's a sealing jutsu of some sort, Lord Hokage."

Old Man Sarutobi nodded and smiled down at him, "This particular jutsu was last seen when I was the young age of three. It was the first time I've seen the power of the Aburame in its glory. This jutsu was then "lost" and hidden away, though no one knew where. I could not ask, as this was very obviously a clan jutsu, but I did wonder what happened." There was a thoughtful pause, as if he was remembering something. He slowly closed the scroll.

"Do you believe in Fate?" Sarutobi asked suddenly. He didn't wait for Shino to respond as he continued, "Fate is a very funny thing, playing with our lives and guiding us in our paths. I believe it is more powerful than destiny, as Fate is a sort of deity, a higher power who watches over us and writes our stories before we can fully read it. It seems that lately, Fate has been favoring your teammates with blessings of power and ability, and we assumed it would do the same for you. Here is your blessing, Shino, are you wanting to accept it?"

Shino stared at the scroll presented for him. For the first time in years he really felt something. He felt excitement and anticipation and the desire to feel more. He could help protect his team, he could protect his village. This was his chance to become stronger, to become more than just another Aburame, who was a hollow shell of a person maintaining a hive. He was going to take this chance even if it killed him.

"Please Lord Hokage," He pleaded, bowing lowly, "I wish to accept this."

Sarutobi smiled and nodded, "This is something we need to keep between us and your team Shino, at least until we know it's safe. Call your team, we will plan your 'blessing' this week." He watched as Shino bolted out of the room, slamming the door closed behind him in his excitement.

Hiruzen sighed tiredly and looked at the scroll again. Yes, surely Fate was having fun with this team.

* * *

A shadow on a nearby building watched as Shino ran to the training ground to meet his team and tell them the good news. His excitement was evident to the very few who could properly read an Aburame; it was refreshing to say the least.

"What are you doing out here?" The shadow didn't bother to turn to face his partner who stood beside him, searching for what was supposedly interesting. "I'm scouting the area." He lied.

"You're a horrible liar." His partner chided. He paused for a second in consideration, a ghost of a smile behind his mask, "Shino is really growing up, huh Torune?"

Torune did smile under his mask, though Fu didn't hear it when he replied, "Yes. He is."

* * *

Hinata stood in front of Shino, who hesitantly removed his jacket and shirt; Kiba was right behind her, staring in shock at the sight of Shino's skin and body. He was guessing that Shino was a heavy guy like Choji, as his jacket was obviously oversized and obscuring, but was surprised to find that Shino was as thin and muscular as Kiba himself was. It was almost strange to see him without the coat, now that he thought about it.

"Lord Hokage," Hinata spoke up quietly, "Um, can I ask why you've asked me to do this?" Hiruzen pulled out the scroll from his sleeve and pushed it gently into Hinata's hands. He smiled upon her and placed a hand on her head, "Hinata, I'm sure you're familiar with the cage bird seal? Meaning as a member of the Main Branch, you know how to create and activate the seal just as your father?"

Hinata nodded at the question regretfully. Hiruzen continued, "Creating and activating seals take a highly advanced level of chakra control that, for the moment, only the Hyugas have, as the other fuinjutsu users are currently away. Because you know how to seal, as well as possess a high enough level of chakra control, it gives us the opportunity to create this seal without having to inform anyone else; the less that people know about this, the better.

"If this goes well, we can count this as a success, and I will request my best fuinjutsu master to teach all of you. Hopefully, then, we can advance Shino's seal. This will only be something basic so that he can come to terms with his new abilities, same as you.

"Now, Hinata will be painting and activating the seal, Kurenai and I are here to supervise, Shino is obviously the willing participant, and Kiba and Akamaru are here because they would have whined about being left out." He laughed at the offended look Kiba shot at him. "I'm only teasing you, Kiba," He grinned, "You are here because you have as much to offer in this team as anyone else does.

"You are going to guard Hinata and Shino. If you sense anything wrong, tell us immediately. If Hinata is dehydrated, give her water. If Shino is waking up, relax him once more. Think of it as training, if you like. There will come a time when you will be the only one to protect your team, whether they are injured or too focused on their task to fight. Can you handle that responsibility?"

Kiba felt his heart swell and his determination peak. He was never really needed for anything this serious before, and he was honored at being the one to protect his teammates for this important sealing. Finally, he felt needed and accepted. "You can count on me Lord Hokage!" He exclaimed, giving him a cheesy smile and a thumbs up Akamaru yipped, wagging his tail in excitement. Hiruzen smiled, "Then let us begin. Shino, lay on the mat and get comfortable, you'll be there for a while."

Shino did as he was told, closing his eyes as he took off his glasses. He was nervous, he realized, and he briefly distrusted Hinata to do the sealing correctly. However, Hinata was from a clan where sealing was a normal, everyday occurance in her clan. The Hokage even said that she was skilled and knowledgeable in creating and activating seals, having been born a Main Branch member. He relented and realized that maybe he should have more faith in his team and their abilities.

A dizzying smell of lavender and vanilla assaulted his nose, and he found himself suddenly tired. "This scent is made to relax and lightly sedate you," Kurenai's voice was so far away, "I'll be putting you under a genjutsu to make sure you're not to wake up. If we see you stirring, Kiba will be giving you another dose of this." Shino barely opened his eyes to see Kiba covering his nose with a cloth as he slowly waved a bottle in front of his face.

A gentle humming was pulling him further into sleep. A soft hand caressing his hair and lightly massaging his shoulders. He was in heaven. He never felt so tired. He began to count backwards, starting from ten until finally, he was fast asleep.

Hinata continued humming and massaging; it always helped the young children who she was to seal, so she hoped that it would work with Shino as well. She felt his body slump under her fingertips and smiled to herself, still humming as she moved to his side and began to paint several seals under his skin.

Kurenai performed her hand signs and lightly touched Shino who was now definitely asleep.

Kiba began to pace back and forth unconsciously, watching Hinata in wonder. She looked so at peace, though he could smell her nervousness and doubt. Her movements were graceful and unwavering, however, as years of etiquette steadied her hand as she painted. He knew that one drop out of place, one imperfect line would ruin everything and she would have to start all over again and he also knew that she wasn't going to mess anything up under any circumstance.

She activated her Byakugan and slowly performed the proper hand signs, hands glowing. She looked to Kurenai who placed the scroll over the ink onto Shino's back, lining it perfectly with the center of his spine. No words, no dramatic showing off, it was simple and straight to the point. Hinata lightly touched the paper and his skin and began what would be hours in the making.

* * *

Hinata had her eyes closed in concentration, slowly and meticulously mapping the ink of the seal and tying it with his chakra and body. It was tedious and strenuous, but she willed herself to continue. If she moved too fast, she could burn him with her chakra. The worst case scenario was her paralyzing him for the rest of his life, since the activation sight was connected directly into his spine. She wasn't completely sure of the outcome, but considering the critical placement, Hinata knew that it was important not to fail.

She was especially careful not to disturb his kikaichu, as they were still active and crawling around. She carefully mapped through the tunnels they created in his body, and used them to navigate her way around, so as to not burn out his pathways.

She wondered briefly what this would do to them, this sudden change of his chakra and body? Perhaps they would create new ones or remain as they were? She watched them watch her soothing chakra make its way to a specific point in his back. They made no move to attack or stop her, so she continued as gently as she could without hurting them.

She carefully watched her chakra lead his to the ink, bit by bit until a new line was made and tied and then searched for another proper, suitable link to make. She tied it to his muscles which strained every so often at the intrusion. She tied it to his bones, in which they began to reform themselves into something new. And she tied it to his tendons which stretched and flexed involuntarily. Every new link and line stemmed from one another and Hinata had to make sure they would flow the correct way as she went along.

The process was not as nearly as agonizing as the curse mark, which was quickly tied to the network of the eyes, and then the eyes themselves before burning its way onto the forehead. Even if it was done slowly, the pain was still definitive and would put the victim out of commission for a week.

Hinata knew that this must be agonizing, but thankfully, Shino was asleep and hadn't shown any sign of waking up yet.

Kiba had been pacing in a circle around his team the entire time, occasionally stopping to use the restroom or let Akamaru out for air. He was fascinated with the sight of Hinata's glowing hands and wished he could see what she was doing. He would often push a straw into her mouth, prompting her to drink, or wipe the sweat from her forehead when it started to drip. He dared not feed her anything more than a single cracker every ten minutes talong with a sip of juice to keep her energy up. Whenever her chakra level was beginning to weaken, Kiba pushed a chakra pill into her mouth and gave her a few gulps of water to wash it down.

He took his position very seriously and intended to do his job correctly.

Sarutobi watched them carefully, quietly noting the team's seriousness of the situation. "Kurenai," He whispered, "How are they doing with team trust and bonding?" Kurenai thought carefully a moment before replying, "Not as well as you would think. Shino is still wanting to remain neutral and uninvolved, Kiba is always assuming he is unwanted and Hinata is such a nervous wreck at times that she shuts down and submits to anything.

"Although right now they seem to be close and bonded, it is only because they associate bonding with survival. If one is in danger or is made out to be in danger, the other two will immediately come to their defence. They're still wary around each other, but can recognize the effort they are trying to collectively provide.

"If we were to somehow push them a little further together and make them aware of how they are similar, if not the same, then I don't think it would be any problem to get them to form a long-lasting, meaningful bond. I'm just not sure how to do so with all of the training to heighten their abilities."

The Hokage remained silent, mulling over her words. He could think of a few resources outside of the village, but would have to get started on preparations immediately. If Fate could lend him her hand once more, and he knew she would, then he could send them somewhere safe, quiet and secure to properly train and bond with each other.

After another hour, Hinata began to pull back, running her eyes over Shino's body once more to reassure herself that everything was okay. She smiled and shakily stood, thanking Kiba when he moved to help her up. "I've finished," She proudly announced, looking to her sensei for approval.

Kurenai smiled at her, patting her head gently, "Good job Hinata, you've earned a long rest after this." She turned to Kiba who was also seeking validation, "And you, Kiba, deserve recognition as well. You are very good at keeping Hinata and Shino safe. I am proud of you both." She never said it often, but her students knew that when she said it, she meant it and that it was because they've accomplished something worthy of the praise.

Shino groaned in pain and exhaustion, slowly pushing himself off of the floor to stand. Hinata and Kiba rushed to assist him. He felt stronger, but mostly, he felt different, as if he was a foreigner in his own body. His hive was not disturbed, thankfully, so he knew that the process was a success.

A strong ripple in his back pulled a surprised yelp from him and he fell to his hands and knees. He silently whimpered as a strong surge of chakra rushed to unconsciously activate the seal on his back. With a shout, two pairs of legs sprouted from each side his back and spasmed uncontrollably. Hinata watched in horror and Kiba could only stare.

Shino was breathing hard, groaning at the sudden surge of pain from his back and forced the legs to stay still. It took time but finally it worked. Hiruzen nodded in approval, "Very good, Shino," He praised, "Now, try to move them properly." Shino took a deep breath before having them bend, pretending they were his arms.

Kurenai watched in wonder, Hinata was now amazed and Kiba couldn't wipe the look of awe from his face.

Shino decided to push a bit further and grounded the appendages to the floor, shakily pushing himself up to stand before lifting himself into the air. Kiba started to yell and jump excitedly and Hinata clasped her hands together and jumped with him. He only got a few feet before they gave out again. His team caught him, chattering excitedly about the newest development and how amazing Shino was to have done so.

Kurenai and Hiruzen glanced at each other over the moment of sweetness and smiled.

* * *

"Team Eight," Iruka called. Kiba was still holding Tora by his scruff, who hissed and growled angrily. The Daimyo's wife squealed in joy at seeing her cat again, snatching him up and cradling it in her arms tightly. Kiba snickered at the misfortune of the poor thing and watched as she practically pranced away.

Iruka sighed in relief as she left and turned back to the team, "It's still early in the day, so I can assign you one more mission." He looked at the clipboard carefully and hummed in thought, "There's a tea house you could assist in, or maybe help certain shops with deliveries?" Kiba groaned, "Do we really have to do another boring D Rank mission again?" He whined pathetically.

Shino rolled his eyes at the display but silently agreed. He was ready for something more challenging and exciting. Hinata smiled at Kiba's childish whining but she too was ready for something a bit different.

"Now, now Iruka," The Hokage relented, "I think by now Team Eight is ready to handle something a bit more mature, don't you?" Iruka hesitated, gripping his clipboard tighter in his hands, "Lord Hokage, I don't wish to disagree with you but-"

"-Then don't." Hiruzen smiled a bit tightly, "We allowed Team Seven a mission outside of the walls, didn't we? How about we give these three a chance to prove themselves as well? It's only fair." Iruka sighed in defeat, "What do you think then, Lord Hokage?"

Sarutobi hummed playfully in mock thought, "What indeed?" He stroked his chin, secretly winking at the team who whispered to each other excitedly.

"How about you help me deliver this scroll?" The Hokage pulled a red colored sealed scroll from his sleeve, presenting it to Kurenai who took it carefully, "Take this scroll to one of the ancient fire temples towards the south. After you've done so, I would like for you to help them cleanse the temple and assist anyone who may need you. This mission will take three to four weeks in total, to and from the temples. Do you think you can handle it?"

Kiba jumped and cheered loudly, "We sure can!" Akamaru yipped in agreement. Hinata giggled and Shino once again rolled his eyes.

"Excellent," Hiruzen sat back in his chair with a hidden smirk, you leave tomorrow."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of its other name rights. Happy Reading!**

* * *

Shino mentally checked over his items one by one, reassuring himself that he didn't forget anything. He was wondering why the mission was going to take so long, but knowing the Hokage, it was probably for something important.

He felt his new appendages ache to be freed from under his skin. He had to stretch them at least twice a day, otherwise they would be restless. The legs didn't have a mind of their own, as Shino knew it was his subconscious, but to Shino, sometimes it felt like it. He still hadn't told his parents, nor have they sensed anything new about their son. Shino briefly wondered if they would care at all if he had told them. Probably not...

He sighed as he strapped his weapon holsters onto his legs and grabbed his traveling bag. He was fine with that.

As he made his way down the stairs, he thought to have a quick breakfast and maybe grab some of the energy bars that were stored in the cabinets. Surely the walk to the temple would be quite the distance, so it was best to be prepared in case he were to get hungry on the road, right? He placed his bag by the front door and made his way to the kitchen, finding his mother and father inside, whispering.

They stopped as soon as Shino walked in, turning towards him in surprise. He made no indication that he was suspicious of their whispering or that he saw the scene at all, he was just hungry and wanting to eat. He made his way to the refrigerator and peered inside, looking for leftover rice and fish from last night's dinner. He heard Sana shift behind him but still said nothing.

"Shino," His father called. Shino turned to face them, shutting the door behind him to not waste the cold. He could almost say they looked unsure, but he knew better; they were going to tell him something, give him another lecture before he left. A small part of him was hoping they would express their concerns for his safety, wishing him good luck and a safe journey.

"Shino," His father said, "We noticed a change in you after you became a part of a genin team. You seem lighter, more relaxed and we as your mother and father advise you that it not hinder your training or have you ignore all that we have taught you about emotional distractions."

Shino felt his shoulder tense and forced the legs in his back to remain still. Were they telling him that he was too carefree? That the mutual fellowship the had with his team was a distraction? He had never felt more happy, more… anything! He even had some semblance of care and wanting to keep Hinata and Kiba safe. After all they had done for him, Kiba taking an injury for him and Hinata aiding him in his involvement with his team, Shino was indebted to them, thankful to them. And his parents are saying that it was bad?

Shino said nothing, prompting Shibi to speak more, "We believe that bonds, emotional or otherwise are a waste of time and tears. We as shinobi have many of our comrades killed in war or in missions, and it is nothing to be sad over. If we have an emotional attachment, it will hinder us and compromise the mission. We need to be strong, we need to be detached from such useless acts. Remember this."

Shino thought for a minute, mulling over the words in his head. All his life, Shino was made to believe that emotion was something useless, and bonds, even more so. But after Kurenai was brought into his life, along with Hinata and Kiba, he was thinking differently. His teacher was strict in her teachings, never easy going until after the job was done. He saw a capable kunoichi who was strong and unrelenting. But when they would go out to eat, when they would sit and have their breaks, he saw still saw the same woman.

Kiba was all over the place with his feelings, always speaking out and bringing attention to himself for them to be validated, and they were. He was never shamed for being open and honest about himself and his internal dilemmas; if anything, they were encouraged. Kurenai would scold him for being too loud or for being too rowdy whenever he was happy or angry, but never for having felt anything in the first place.

Hinata was always emotional. At first she was always crying under the slightest duress, but with time, she got better at controlling her tears. She no longer cried when she lost a match or messed up a mission or saw something "cute" or heartfelt. She became stronger, more assured in herself. Kiba was always encouraging and comforting her, even in tears, and she would stop and continue her duty as a ninja. She too, was not admonished for her feelings, so long as she got her job done.

Why should he be rebuked, then, for having feelings? Surely not everything his father said was true. He had to have loved his mother or Shino himself… right?

"Father," He hesitated, "Do you love mother?" Shibi nearly reeled back at a sudden question, and looked to Sana who tilted her head in confusion at the words. He turned back to Shino who was staring back at him intently. "She is my wife," He answered, "My companion for life."

"Do you love me?"

Shibi almost sighed at the question, thinking of the correct response, "You are my offspring," He replied, "My son." There was no emotion, no warmth behind the statement, only fact. Shino couldn't help but feel like his father was unconsciously avoiding something, but he wasn't really sure what it was.

Shino felt his stomach twist but forced himself to nod, as if satisfied with the answer. He turned back to the kitchen and pulled out the rice and fish, intent on forcing some food down to ease the uneasiness.

It didn't.

* * *

Kiba rushed around his room, looking for his headband. He knew he had left it on his nightstand next to his bed, but obviously it wasn't there. He had a bad feeling Hana was to blame in all of this. Knowing her, she's probably waiting for him to run downstairs in a panic, yelling that he lost his headband and laugh at him while he tried to explain it to mom. Then she would whip it out from her pocket or something and tease him about him being a shitty ninja.

He growled angrily, feeling his hair stand on end. He didn't have time for her stupid games, he was going to be late if he didn't leave soon.

This dumb bitch was starting to get on his nerves more so than usual, because he was a ninja, because he was training and getting more confident. He knew that Hana wanted him to stay miserable and weak, but he was not going to let her have the satisfaction of seeing him angry or scared or weak anymore.

Kiba pulled the specially made pill he got from the Hokage out of his pocket and popped it into his mouth. He had to remain calm, and part of him knew that Hana was going to be extra annoying this morning.

Akamaru barked twice from his bed, making circles. "Akamaru," Kiba grinned, picking his dog up and placing him on his head, "Of course I won't forget my best friend." He lightly scratched behind his ear, earning a few licks to the hand. "Let's go get my headband back."

Kiba made his way downstairs and into with his bag on his back, tied tightly shut and packed with his supplies. Hana was leaning over the counter, sipping a cup of coffee as she read the morning paper. She glanced at Kiba's uncovered forehead and smirked to herself, waiting for him to ask her where it was.

He walked past her and opened the fridge, looking for food. He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of asking. Hana wasn't known for being patient, so all he had to do was pretend that he wasn't bothered or inconvenienced in the slightest.

Hana waited more, listening to him and Akamaru eat and drink behind her. She was starting to get annoyed that he wasn't acting like he would have before. Wasn't he going out for a big mission? He needed his headband if he was going to ever get out. She felt the weight in her pocket and huffed, just a few more minutes.

Kiba finished his drink with a satisfied sigh, licking his lips loudly and walking out of the kitchen to the living room in search of his mother. Hana glared after him as he walked past, a smile on his face. She had enough.

"Hey, Puppy," She called out. Kiba felt his mouth twitch into a frown from the name but turned to Hana with a relaxed look, "Yes?" He responded.

Hana smirked at him. "Can't leave without your forehead protector." She lifted it in the air mockingly. Kiba went to grab it, sighing in irritation when she swiped it out of his reach. "Hana, come on, I need that for my mission."

Hana laughed in his face, "Oh do you?" She taunted, "That's nice." She swiped it away again, laughing harder at the frown Kiba wore, "Hana, come on, I have to leave soon to meet my team at the gates or I'm going to be late."

"That's too bad little Puppy," She sneered, "I'm too busy laughing at you. Look at you; you're a joke. Even if you were late, you're team is still going to think you're a burden anyways so why not give them a reason?" Kiba was getting mad now, but he knew that he wouldn't "wolf-out" on her because of the pill he took.

"Can't you do anything better with your time?" He snapped, "If you're not going to give me my headband, I'll just ask Mom for a spare." Akamaru barked, backing him up. Hana stopped laughing now, baring her teeth, "You can't do that!" She growled.

"And why not?" Kiba threw back.

"You're not allowed! You have to use your own headband, this one that I'm holding!" She threw his higher in the air for emphasis, "Mom would never let you use one here anyways, she'll tell you to fuck off since you lost yours."

"I didn't lose mine, you have it."

"Who do you think she'll believe?" It was an intense standoff between the two. Kiba wasn't getting anywhere with her at this point and so he turned around and began to walk away. "Fine," He huffed, "I'll just ask my sensei for a spare. She's bound to have plenty."

Hana rushed from behind the counter and pinned Kiba to the door, bending his arm painfully behind his back. He made no move to struggle, knowing that Akamaru would get hurt in the crosshairs, but shifted to a position where it wasn't so painful. Hana twisted harder, digging her nails into his skin, "You have a lot of nerve turning your back on me." She hissed into his ear.

"What's going on here?" Hana was off him in a second, turning to face her mother who was frowning in disapproval. "You know the rules, Hana," She lightly scolded, "No rough housing inside." She turned to Kiba who rubbed his shoulder and said nothing, knowing the end results already, "Stop pissing off your sister, Kiba," She growled, "We have more important things to do than bother with your nonsense. Hana, it's time to train." Hana walked away, sending Kiba one last threatening glare over her shoulder as she walked.

Akamaru whimpered, licking the tip of Kiba's ear in comfort. Kiba sighed and smiled at his companion, "Don't worry Akamaru," He whispered. He pulled his headband from his sleeve, having nabbed it from Hana's pocket, and tied it around his head, pulling his hood up to shield his pup afterwards. "We'll be away from this bullshit for a while. Let's go meet everyone." Akamaru yipped.

He ran out as fast as he could.

* * *

Hinata crossed off the final item off her checklist and sighed with a content smile. She spent all night packing and repacking, and after deciding to make a list, she felt less stressed and more prepared for the mission.

She told her father last night about the mission at dinner. If he had heard anything she said, he didn't say anything. Hanabi only looked up at her blankly, as if wondering why she was talking in the first place.

Hinata sighed again. Hanabi was the only member of the family who didn't hate her, and that wasn't because she loved her either. Hanabi didn't know Hinata at all, sometimes she even forgot her name. She viewed Hinata as weak but she didn't have the same level of hostility that everyone seemed to have. Hinata wasn't sure why, but she was thankful.

She looked at the time and figured she should grab a quick breakfast before she left. She grabbed her traveling bag and quietly walked to the kitchen, looking at her list in an effort to look to busy for eye contact. She passed by some of the branch members who sneered and whispered insults behind her back but no one made any effort to stop her or talk.

She lowered her head further, feeling the cold pressure of everyone's all seeing eyes on her back. She hated the feeling, the eyes staring at her, wondering when she would fail or die. She hated being look down on and treated worse than the dirt on everyone's shoe. She wished she was accepted, loved and welcomed into the family with smiles and laughter, but she knew that was a chimerical fantasy she somehow conjured up in her spare time.

When she finally reached the kitchen, she hurriedly pulled out some eggs and set them to boil over the stove. She toasted some bread and waited for a few minutes. She peeled the shells and placed her soft boiled eggs on her toast. Her stomach growled at the sight of her food, so she wasted no time stuffing herself until she was full. She decided to pack some away, just in case.

A cold, threatening presence made itself known behind her. Hinata froze and shook, choking down tears and resuming her packing as quickly as possible. In her hurry she dropped the container she was trying to open and winced at the loud noise it made, echoing through the house.

"Can't you hold onto whatever is in your hands?" Neji snapped harshly, "You always make such a failing fuss over something so simple!" Hinata winced at his louder-than-normal volume but said nothing, once again, gathering the container into her hands and gently packing away her food.

Another, intimidating presence made itself known and Hinata nearly groaned at her bad luck. "Hinata," Her father somewhat greeted. She simply bowed, not raising her head in favor of gazing at the clean floor. He frowned, "I see you're still going on the mission today."

"Yes father."

"It's absurd how serious you're appearing to take this, considering the fact that you've managed to fail under any other circumstances presented to you." She didn't say anything. He almost sighed, "In any matter, do your best not to bring any shame to they Hyuga name. I know that may be difficult for you, but it's something so simple one of the rocks in your little garden can accomplish it with flying colors. Try to at least make a passing effort. Remember to seal your eyes before you perish." He walked away then, leaving her alone with Neji who slid out of his seat just as Hinata began to leave.

He slammed her head into the wall, drawing a hiss of pain. He was looking for tears. He did it again and blocked a chakra point in her chest, hindering her breathing. Hinata closed her eyes, waiting for it to be over so she could go.

A harsh kick in the stomach opened her eyes and almost emptied the contents of her stomach. She turned a pale green but refused to vomit, taking as much of a breath as she could. Hinata was suddenly on her knees meaning Neji got bored and walked away from her.

Her eyes were bleary as she looked around, searching the kitchen for Neji or anyone else. In seeing no one, she struggled to her feet and held her stomach in an effort to stand straight before limping over to the sink.

"One more time." She whimpered, brandishing a kunai and slicing her arms in perfect lines, despite how awful she was shaking. They were immediately healed over and covered in her balm. Somewhere in the back of her head, she knew that this wasn't going to be the last time she was going to do something like this, but it was the only thing making life here remotely bearable.

A shuffle behind her made her turn her head ever so slightly. Hanabi was standing there, staring at her. Hinata didn't have time to clean the blood from the sink, so she stared back, waiting for her to say something. Hanabi's eyes trailed from her sister to the drops that had fallen on the floor and them back to Hinata. There was no visible change, no movement to indicate anything that was going on in her head.

Hinata was almost ashamed, but a part of her was more scared as well as relieved. If Hanabi were to tell anyone about this, she was sure they would take away her ninja status for good, but she knew she wouldn't; Hinata wasn't a priority to her.

Hinata quickly cleaned her mess and rinsed out the sink, passing Hanabi who continued to watch. With her bag on her back and a green tinge on her pale face, Hianta turned to her sister and gave her a sad, but loving smile, "I'll see you when I get home, my dear sister." She managed to stutter out, "Train hard and do well."

If Hinata had stayed a bit longer, she would have seen the flash of warmth in Hanabi's eyes.

* * *

Kurenai was waiting patiently at the gates, chatting with Anko about the mission. She was prepared for just about anything at this point, having known the real reason they were being sent away for so long. Hiruzen had sent a letter to the temple beforehand, explaining the situation in detail, and then gave Kurenai the confirming letter she needed to enter.

Anko had asked to travel along, wanting a chance to torment her students but was harshly denied. She was needed in T&I for the upcoming weeks to investigate another mission, which she complained about for hours after the meeting.

"If you need any help, I'll come running your way Kurenai." Anko winked, "I've been meaning to talk to you about something. The Chunin Exams are coming a lot faster than that counsel cunt, Takahashi, and your pathetic brats need to seriously step up their game. Let me have them for a while, under your supervision of course, so we can train them to be some kick-ass fuckers up in this bitch!"

Kurenai found herself smiling, "Are you sure you just don't want to see them cry?" She teased, "Why would the most vicious, insane ANBU in the entire village want to help my 'pathetic brats' with their ninja skills for the Chunin Exams?" Anko's crazed grin faltered at the question, prompting a more serious look, "Because, not only are these kids future ninja, and from what I heard from you and the old man chatting over tea, future ANBU, they mean a lot to you. You seem lighter, a bit more laid back and a hell of a lot happier. You stress about them everytime we have drinks and they're all you talk about."

Kurenai's face was stone. She hadn't realized how much she talked about her students, or how much time, money, effort and attention she was giving into helping them; but how could she not? They were her students. It was her job to take care of them and teach them how to defend themselves. Maybe Anko was right about the help and training. It sure would do wonders for them, no doubt about that.

Just as she was about to reply, Kurenai turned when she felt a familiar chakra signature. "Kurenai-sensei!" Kiba called out happily, Akamaru barked just as loud as his master's yell. He faltered a bit when he saw Anko but did his best to give her a smile. It seemed that Kiba still didn't trust his teacher's partner.

Kurenai felt herself smiling back at him, looking over his person with careful eyes. His clothes were a bit rumpled, something not uncommon with Kiba but still worrisome. She noticed the start of a bruise on his wrist as well as his dilated pupils and connected the pieces together. He had a run in with his sister this morning, it seemed. He was still cheerful, however, and maintained his excited demeanor well enough.

Shino was the next to arrive, indifferent as ever but with an underlying hint of excitement. He stretched out his shoulders a bit, trying to look busy and occupied, though Kurenai sensed a familiar coldness to his gruff hello.

Hinata was the last to arrive. Kurenai was assaulted with the familiar smell of roses and ginger and nearly frowned. Hinata attempted to walk upright with some difficulty, meaning this morning she was injured, and very recently too, by the looks of it. Kurenai said nothing as she handed her students energy bars, making sure to give Hinata a medicated one. They hesitated at first, but after Kiba took a big bite from his and shared some with Akamaru, the other two followed suit.

"The fire temple is nearly a three day journey from here, same as the Sand Village." She announced as they chewed, "We have some ground to cover, so I suggest we keep moving until sunset, with breaks of course. We will all be taking shifts at night and during breaks. I will teach you all how to hunt and fish properly on the way. Is there anything you would like to ask before we head off?"

Shino raised his hand, "Sensei," He asked, "Should we expect any opposition on our way to the temple?" Kurenai nodded seriously, "You should always expect enemy ninja when you leave your village. Hopefully, we won't be delayed longer than necessary, but we should still take precaution, which is why we are having watch on breaks in addition to the night shifts." Shino nodded, satisfied with the answer.

Hinata poked her fingers together nervously, "Um," She stuttered, "WIll we also be training during our travels?" Kurenai smiled lightly, "If you would like, we can."

She turned back to Anko who gave her a wink, "I'll let you and your brats go, but think about what I said. Good luck on your mission, brats." She walked away with a wave, and a cheerful whistle on her lips.

"If there are no more questions, we had better get a move on. The monks are waiting for us."

* * *

"The first thing to know about travelling as a shinobi, is to always be aware of your surroundings." Kurenai had set the pace to a quick, but still casual walk. Hinata was acting lead, Shino made up the middle, and Kurenai and Kiba/Akamaru made the rear. Regardless if the team was walking or running, the trip to the temple would take three to four days depending on their departure time, so Kurenai opted for an easy first day.

"There may be bandits or robbers on the roads or in the woods." Kurenai continued her lecture, "There may be dishonored shinobi roaming around for a kill or ransom or to even go as far as to sell other ninja on the black market.

"When alone, you must always watch yourself and your environment; it doesn't matter if you have been on solo missions for most of your ninja career or if you have confidence in your ability, you must always be cautious and, to an extent, paranoid of everything. To be capable for a solo mission, you need to meet certain requirements that include pain tolerance, energy levels, exhaustion levels and your ability to think on your feet or think ahead to ensure your survival. You have to have a large extension of knowledge in any wilderness, being the forest, the desert, the snow, or the shores. If you cannot pass these classes or tests, you are not fit for solo missions.

"Missions with a team, are easier. You have multiple eyes to catch things you may have missed, you have someone watching your back at all times. You must always have someone stand guard, and you must always have someone awake, even if it's just two of you. If you feel like you're falling asleep or unable to perform, eat a soldier pill, or tell you teammates. There is no shame in admitting a bit of weakness once or twice if you've been doing your best, but it means you are not up to standard as you need to be, which is unacceptable if its constant. Your life counts on them and vise versa. If you cannot help your teammates, if you cannot protect them, and if you make no effort to improve, you need to rethink your training and your values as a shinobi of the leaf."

There was a thoughtful silence from her team as they processed her words.

"Hinata, can you find a safe area for us to have a break at?" Kurenai asked. Kiba shook his canteen, "One near some clean water." He added.

Hinata turned in her dojutsu and looked around, spotting a running river and a small clearing with perfect cover. "There's a suitable area southeast of our location." She announced.

Kiba grinned began to run ahead, going southwest instead, by mistake, "I'll race you there Akamaru!" He laughed. Akamaru ran after him, barking happily.

Kurenai frowned and threw a kunai to stop him, catching his sleeve on a tree before he got any further. Kiba yelped in surprise, turning to face Kurenai's scolding stare, "You never run off like that again, Kiba." She rebuked, "Even if we are in our territory, you could be attacked. If this was an enemy territory, there's no telling what could happen to you."

"Not only that, you're going the wrong way." Shino butted in, "You're going to get lost and killed by your own folly."

Kiba turned to glare at Shino, not happy with the word choice. "Fuck you Shino," He spat, "What do you know anyway, you slimy roach?" Shino bristled at the slander and glared back, ready to fire another insult.

Hinata readily stepped in between them, "Please," She whimpered, "Let's not fight." She looked to Kurenai helplessly, who merely watched the fight unfold. She wanted to see how Hinata would handle it.

Kiba growled some more; his medication had long worn off, "This isn't any of your business, Hinata." He spat, "Stay out of it!" She faltered at the tone and hesitated now, looking to Shino who looked past her to Kiba. Both of them were ignoring her attempts to calm everything down and she didn't know what else to do. She felt tears welling up and her hands shake. She was useless.

Kurenai sighed boredly and stepped up to intervene, gently moving Hinata out of the way, "That's enough." She ordered. She scowled back and forth between her male students and fisted her hands on her hips, "I am sick and tired of the bickering, the arguments, the whole goddamn instability of this team. How can you expect to be ninja when you have no flow with your own comrades? How can you say you care about each other, when you're always fucking fighting?"

Hinata covered her mouth in shock at the curse word. Kurenai was pissed.

"You two especially, need to grow up. Shino, I didn't need your help in lecturing Kiba, so stop calling him stupid and rethink your wording so that you come off as less of a dick. And you, Kiba, need to stop having a little bitch-fit in response to everything that Shino says. It may be harder than it sounds, but I'm sure you can accomplish it with some self control."

She finally turned to the shaking female behind her, "And you, Hinata," She scolded lighter, "You need to assert some dominance as a member of this team. You need to speak up more and throw in your voice. Stop letting these two walk all over you, stop being ignored. We are female shinobi; we are not little girls, we are powerful, capable, and a hell of a lot tougher. We are kunoichi, hear us roar! Got it?" Hinata hurriedly nodded, shaking in awe and fear of her sensei.

Everyone was nervous and quiet, now scared of what Kurenai had planned now. She sighed once more and freed Kiba from the tree. She pocketed her weapon and turned to her students again, "Follow Hinata to the clearing." She pointed in the right direction and watched as they all shuffled away.

Kurenai really was sick of the fighting going on. Though Hinata wasn't necessarily involved, she didn't do anything to really help the situation, always looking to Kurenai for help when she was dismissed too easily.

Kurenai knew that Hinata felt just as left out and underappreciated in the team as she did at home, and though no one said anything about it, the boys did treat her a little differently, as if she were fragile spun glass. They didn't look down on her but she definitely wasn't their equal but Kurenai knew that it was only because she was so… passive.

Hinata was too gentle and kind and caring and she didn't know how to break up fights between her comrades. If she was told to butt out, she did so with an apology. If she was dismissed or discredited, she put her head down and said nothing.

Kurenai knew something had to be done, and she knew just how to get things rolling.

* * *

After finally arriving, Kurenai set her pack down and ordered for them all to do the same, before taking a casually long drink of her water canteen. They waited in anticipation, looking to each other for a clue.

Kurenai wiped her mouth and sat on a small nearby boulder in lotus position. "Kiba, you and Shino will be fighting." Hinata looked to her male teammates and then back to Kurenai in shock. Did she say fight? As in… fight?!

Kiba nervously smiled and rubbed the back of his head, "Sensei," He said, "Don't you mean spar?"  
"No. I said fight." She sat straighter, "If you have a problem with your teammates, you have a discussion and come to a compromise that benefits all parties involved, but since you and Shino want to squabble and call each other names, you're past the option of talking. Shinobi do not yell or argue or display such levels of immaturity with each other on missions; you either talk like adults or fight it out until a solution is made.

Now then, you are going to fight and you will do so without your use of chakra, without you abilities or powers or whatever you have that gives you and advantage. Kiba, this is your fight alone, so Akamaru will not help you. Shino, your bugs will stay inside, is that clear?" Both boys nodded and slid into their fighting positions.

"Fight!"

Both boys hesitated but it was Kiba who made the first attack. He threw a light punch at Shino, who blocked it with his arm. They went at it half-heartedly for a few minutes before Kurenai threw in her words to fan the flame. "Kiba," She called, "Is that how you hit someone who is calling you stupid?" She saw a scowl flash on his face.

She turned to Shino now, "And you, Shino, are you going to allow Kiba to continuously disrespect you and your clan by calling you names? As if you were lesser than a roach?" Shino felt his fists ball up tighter and finally threw a right hook that caught Kiba in the jaw.

Kiba looked up in shock before he kicked Shino in the gut as hard as he could. He felt a lot better after that.

Shino grunted in pain but continued fighting. He was sick and tired of Kiba calling him out, as if he were a disgusting parasite. He wasn't a roach, damn it; not a shell and not a parasite. He wasn't going to allow to be called those names again and he had to make sure Kiba understood that.

He threw in another punch to Kiba's gut, successfully landing the hit, "It's not just you who can fight, Kiba." He taunted, "Maybe you should think twice before calling me a roach."

Kiba stood straighter and spit off to the side, wiping his mouth, "And maybe you should think twice before calling me stupid!" He ran to Shino and punched him in return, continuing his assault as fast as possible, landing some hits. "I hate it when you call me names. I hate it when you think you're superior to me. You are just as young, just as weak, just as stupid as I am. You're not better than me!" He grabbed Shino's arm and threw him into a tree.

Kurenai secretly smirked to herself; now they were getting somewhere.

"Hinata," She said, "Join them." When her student hesitated she turned and gave a glare, "Join in the fight or fail this mission." Hinata jumped and ran over to the battle, seemingly intimidated by the ferocity of their punches.

Kurenai made her hand signs and placed a slight genjutsu over Hinata, strong enough to deceive even the Byakugan. It was a technique developed from training with a Yamanaka. She used the genjutsu to peer into someone's thoughts and feelings, having enough influence on them to bring them forward and have them exposed or felt. She tapped into Hinata's anger and frustration and nearly laughed when she found out that there was a lot of it.

Looks like her shy wallflower wasn't so passive after all.

Kiba felt a harsh jab and a kick. He turned to Hinata in shock but quickly overcame it when she went for another strike. He jumped back and dodged the hit, putting distance between him and his teammates.

Shino, too, was bewildered at the sudden aggressive behavior that Hinata displayed, but decided that she was not going to let them off easy.

All three stared each other down, defense up and anger stirring between them like a drug in the air.

It was now a three-way match.

As if practiced, all three ran to each other and began to fight, kicking and punching and clawing. It felt good to finally release some of the pent up energy and scream and yell without consequences or repercussions.

Kiba's speed was still unmatched but Shino made up for it in power and Hinata in flexibility. They all dodged and weaved through a flurry of attacks and seemingly danced around each other.

"Kiba," Kurenai called once again, "You're beginning to slack off. Were they right? Are you stupid?" Kiba roared and threw a wild punch, "NO!" He hit Hinata square in the chest and sent her flying back. A kick to Shino and he was rolling a few feet away.

Kiba felt tears in his eyes as he got more angry. "I'm not fucking stupid!" He shouted at them, "I'm not lesser than any of you! I didn't do anything wrong! I'm not a bad person and you don't get to tell me I am! You don't get to fucking treat me like they do! YOU DON'T GET TO TREAT ME LIKE SHIT!" Without meaning to, Kiba had finally snapped.

Shino scowled and threw a bomb in his direction, sending him flying back. "Then don't be a hypocrite!" He shouted back, punching Kiba in the face. "I am not just another Aburame. I have hopes and dreams and feelings just like any of you. I train just as hard and i try just as much for recognition. I am not a 'robot' or a 'shell' or a fucking roach! I AM A HUMAN TOO!"

They began to punch and kick and roll around in the dirt, seemingly forgetting Hinata who glowered angrily. She was being left out again. They were ignoring her again. She was not going to let it happen. Not anymore.

With her hands and legs coated in chakra, she ran to her teammates and kicked as hard as she can, sending both of them skidding across the dirt and rocks. "Don't ignore me!" She thundered, "I'm here too, and while you two go on and on about each other, you forget that I exist! I bet you think I don't deserve recognition either, when I work just as hard as everyone else! I bet you wish I were dead too, don't you? I won't take it anymore! I won't allow myself to be disrespected! I'M SICK OF YOU ALL THINKING I'M WEAK!"

She released a sudden burst of chakra, much like the one Anko had done when they were taking their first test together. Her hands and eyes burned brighter than fire. Kiba shifted instantly and Shino's legs sprouted on response. All at once they began attacking each other.

There was no intent to kill, not this time, but they were looking to hurt each other and rid themselves of this feeling. This awful feeling of hatred and depression and frustration and rage. They were tired of being pushed around and were not going to let their teammates do so, not anymore.

Hinata was just like a snake. Weaving and contorting her body in impossible ways. Her light feet and speed, matching even Kiba, worked for her to maneuver around even the most complex jutsu sent her way. Her glowing eyes were looking everywhere, seeing everything so clearly for the first time. Her burning hands charred her sleeves and sent wind with every thrust of her palm. She looked like a goddess of war.

Kiba was a blur, running circles around his team. His clawed hands shred everything they came into contact with, clothes, hair, even bugs. His eyes, once brown and narrow, were bright red and large. All of his senses were heightened and had him wasted on the sudden high from it all. Hair messy, teeth sharp, claws out, and eyes intent, he was something more than just a beast.

Shino made up for his lack of speed with power. He didn't kick or punch lightly in this fight, regardless of his exhaustion or bruises. He used his powerful legs to block and strike at all angles, hooks sharp and exoskeleton stronger than steel. He would lift himself and jump and shout louder than he had ever done before in his life. He had never felt so much before. He felt so alive. As he lifted into the air, arms spread and bugs summoned, he looked like a fate worse than death.

Kurenai watched in interest, never moving from her stump as her students beat the ever living shit out of each other. She was in awe of their raw power, their hidden potentials now showing themselves after so long. They were made to be shinobi, they were made to be killers! She had no idea, though, that this was only the beginning of something wonderful and legendary in itself.

She watched as all three of her genin posed and readied themselves. They were exhausted and hurt, but they bravely fought through the pain. They were going to end this.

All at once they advanced and threw a hit. Kiba hit Shino, who hit Hinata who had hit Kiba just in time. All three students fell to the floor, spent of energy and anger. They all panted and huffed in pain, as they stared up at the sky, listening to the trees and the wind and each other.

Finally, Kiba sat up, groaning as Akamaru licked his face and barked excitedly. Shino was the second to sit up followed shortly by Hinata who was whimpering in pain. They looked over each other warily, waiting to see if the others would continue the fight. When no threat was being made, they began to smile. The smiles turned into chuckles and then moved to laughter, sweet and relieved.

Shino held his fist out to Kiba, "I'm sorry." He said. Hinata turned to look at Kiba, who stared on in shock. He hadn't expected Shino to be the first to apologize. He grinned and touched his fist to Shino's, "Yeah," He laughed, "Me too."

They turned to Hinata, who was, again, feeling left out and held their connected fists out to her, "You too, Hinata." Kiba smiled gently as her eyes lit up, "We're sorry." Shino nodded in affirmation, a gentle upward tug of his lips. Hinata felt her eyes water and thrust her fist out to meet theirs, sobbing joyfully at this new blissful sensation in her stomach. Akamaru barked and hopped to be included, causing more laughter within the group.

Kurenai smiled in relief, having been successful once again with her team and her outlandish methods. She knew she was really pushing it with this last one. They could have ended up killing each other. She was lucky she was right in them needing just a bit of release.

Now that they had worked everything out and began to tread on a new level in their friendship, it was time to begin phase two of the plan, and that was revealing everyone's darkest secrets: their home lives.

This would be another moment in which she was going to really push the envelope, but if her team was going to be ANBU and the best one of the Nine, she needed them to know each other like the back of their hands. They needed to be on a familial level with each other, seeing as how they have none to begin with.

She took a deep breath and got up to heal all of them. This had better work.

* * *

Overall, the rest of trip wasn't as bad as Kurenai thought it was going to be, although there were moments of dysfunction within their team. Kiba and Akamaru would either be running too fast or getting too loud in which Shino would scold them and they would have an argument, which Hinata always diffused.

Hinata fit into her role of peacekeeping nicely, using her natural sweetness to have them feel guilty for upsetting her. Kurenai also learned that sweet Hinata had a motherly-like side, as she watched her gently, but firmly scold her teammates. It was cute.

Shino was trying hard not to be a total asshole, but would often catch himself before the insult was said. He had previously thought he was being honest, when in reality, he really was being, as Kurenai said, a dick. He struggled to apologize each time, but was slowly getting the hang of it.

Kiba did his best to take the criticism with dignity. He still felt the anger simmer under his skin, but took a deep breath and calmly explained why Shino's words upset him, even going as far as to offer suggestions of tone and word choice. He began to shrug it off, not caring how Shino said some things as long as they didn't demean him. His sensei was proud that he was building a thicker skin.

Regardless of the fight or any petty arguments, they would still forgive each other and would go back to focusing on the mission along with their training.

After the big fight, Kurenai healed them and decided it would be a good time to learn the basics of survival in the forests of Konoha. She began with fishing.

Shino was ,surprisingly, the best. Kurenai thought that he would be the worse considering his bugs, but he had a strange and knowing ability to catch them much easier than his comrades. He smiled to himself when Hinata or Kiba fell in the water wrestling their catches and even laughed when one nearly smacked Kurenai in the face when she was distracted.

Kiba was, of course, better at hunting. Kurenai often let him hunt to shake off some of the building aggression and tension he was feeling from having to run at a "slow" pace or remain at the campsite on night watch, and Akamaru always found the sweetest berries to eat, smelling them for poison. He was proud of downing his first deer by hand and grinned at his pale teammates innocently with a bloody grin and blood-soaked clothes. Akamaru would be just as blood-soaked, shaking off the blood from his fur as if it were water from a bath.

Hinata was a master at direction and reading the stars or the environment. Even with her Byakugan off, she would find water sources the quickest using the foliage or point in very specific directions using math or angles of the sun and stars. Kurenai often found her staring up at the night sky, eyes watching and reading or pointing out a constellation to either of the boys, who were equally confused by astronomy.

She was glad that everything was going so smoothly, but maybe it was a little too smooth.

They hadn't had anyone disturb them. No enemies had made to approach them and they hadn't seen anyone else on the road. Kurenai wondered briefly if that was good or bad, seeing as how they wouldn't get the chance to fight a new enemy or learn to… take lives...

The last skill was important. A ninja was no ninja until they took a life, otherwise, they were allowing more evil to take root and allowing for another innocent life to end. Kurenai considered it to be a sort of initiation or right-of-way into the world of shinobi.

She had taken her first life at the age of 11 when she was on a mission to escort a traveller to his village on the border of Wind and Leaf. A group of robbers stopped her team and in order to keep her client safe, she thrust her kunai into the heart of the leader. She was upset and saddened of the outcome, being the only genin of her team to kill someone, but after a talk with her leader and a profound thank you from the traveler, she felt less horrible and more proud that she had done a service.

After that, she became less afraid and more aware. She saw the world so much differently and had less of a problem taking a life if it meant the safety of her team or her own life. She would be damned if she allowed any of her precious people a chance at harm. If your mission called for taking a life, you had better take it with your own two hands or die in their place.

She hoped her team was ready for that kind of life, but if not, then surely she could help prepare them.

* * *

The trees of the thinning forest drew long shadows under the evening sun. It had been three days and they were bordering on day four now. The light chatter behind Kurenai spoke volumes. They were finally getting comfortable on their own, asking questions, telling stories and even having friendly debates about complex or silly things. Though they still had a long way to go in order to completely trust each other.

She knew they felt lighter, not having to worry about their life in the village or what would happen when they came back. They were living in the present, and presently, they were content.

Kurenai spotted an old man sitting at the base of a tree, meditating. She approached and kneeled before him, "Good evening sir," She greeted respectfully, "I believe there's a storm coming from the north."

The old man slowly peeled his eyes open and smiled, "Might you give this old man some shelter?" Kurenai pulled the red scroll from her pack and handed it over.

The old man slowly looked it over, nodding slowly until he found the seal he was looking for. He stood, using a thick wooden staff to aid him, and turned around, performing a hand sign to dispel the masterfully made illusion that hid the monks' beautiful temple.

Team Eight watched in wonder and gaped at the beauty all around them.


	8. Chapter 8

**I apologize for the procrastination, but lucky for you I'm on my way writing the next chapter as we speak!**

 **Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of its other name rights. Happy Reading!**

* * *

The courtyard of the temple was beautiful. There were many trees and fountains and small gazebos thoughtfully placed around. None of Team Eight could help but gaze over the traditional, yet beautiful structures surrounding them. Statues of gods and monks faced each other with honor and respect.

Kurenai walked through, bowing her head in respect as they passed someone, nudging her team to do the same. She was more than excited to be back at the temple where she had first discovered her genjutsu ability, and seeing the familiar faces as she lead the way to the main temple strengthened the nostalgia. She was equally excited to relive the experience with her team as well. She glanced back and smiled at their awe-stricken faces.

As they approached the main stairs of the temple, the leader of the monks, Asuka, came to greet them. He was tall and wore his age proudly. each wrinkle of his face and his hands spoke stories that the children would learn of someday. His eyes were gentle and his smile warm. He was a man of heart and strength.

"Greetings, Konoha nin." His voice was smooth and comforting, "It is nice to see you once more, Kurenai. I see you've brought guests this time." He looked over each of them, his knowing eyes twinkling at the energy of their auras. He approved. "Yes, I see much potential in your students. Do you happen to have the scroll with you?"

Kurenai nudged Shino to step forward, which he did hesitantly. Shino had never met someone so powerful yet openly warm and kind. He felt a strange sense of peace in the temple grounds and he knew that it came from this man, this Head Monk.

He bowed in respect, holding the scroll out to Asuka who took it. He smiled at Shino as he stood and patted his head, stunning the young boy. "Thank you very much, Shino." He said kindly, surprising the young ninja more.

He opened the scroll and quickly looked it over, frowning in thought and humming to himself somewhat as he read. After a few minutes he smiled and rolled it back up, "I see," He commented sagely, "It seems some training is in order.

"You will live among us for twenty-one days and depart, hopefully, knowledgeable and cleansed. As you live among us, you will also eat, train and meditate along our side. We rise very early, taking thirty minutes to awaken, clean our beds and dress. We then worship in our temple to the gods Tengu and Yamabushi to lead us in our journey of life and thereafter. After worship, we meditate one hour before sunrise and one hour after sunset, to clear our minds, to bind our bodies to the world around us, free our spirits from carnal pleasure, and to cleanse our energies from negativity and bad influence.

"Meal times come after meditation and on the stroke of noon. We eat a strictly vegan diet, as all life, even those to animals, are precious to us. We train all day, save for lunch, and prepare for bed for one hour after dinner; that includes bathing and grooming.

"We will teach you and we will guide you. As long as you keep an open mind and an open heart, you too, will reach peace and serenity as we have."

He took his time looking to each student and finally their teacher, who were all looking forward to the experience. He smiled then, looking equally forward to teaching them, "You all have had a long journey." He remarked, "Come, and join us for dinner. Your rooms have been prepared and we have saved you room at the tables."

* * *

"I think this place is nice." Kiba said as he climbed into bed, holding Akamaru close to his chest. He felt surprisingly full from their meal, even if it was just plants. He wasn't too sure about going without meat for the mission, but after tasting the greens, sweet beans and tofu, he figured he would live. Vegan food was better than no food.

Shino nodded, partially to himself, as he pulled the covers over his body up to his chin. Shino liked being bundled up tightly in his covers, feeling a sense of security and warmth from the blankets.

He was still shy about taking off his jacket, regardless of having been shirtless to acquire his seal, as opposed to Kiba who was more than happy to shrug off his clothes from the waist up. He knew it was because he wasn't nearly as fit as he would like, as well as the insecurity of his insects occasionally crawling around at all times, even as he slept. He hoped it wouldn't bother Kiba to see so many bugs at once.

His eyes wandered back to Kiba who was absentmindedly petting Akamaru, trying to wind the puppy down for sleep. He noticed a faded bruise on his arm, one that looked like a hand. He thought back to the fight and realized that neither he nor Hinata had grabbed him by his arm during their fight.

Remembering Kurenai's brief lesson on the mystical palm, he recalled her saying that it was for external damage, to heal basic wounds like shallow cuts or a twisted ankle. If one were to heal a wound quickly enough, there would be no bruising or swelling. Using these pieces of evidence, Shino quickly deduced that the bruise was from something else.

He wanted to know. He felt the question on the tip of his tongue but couldn't find the courage to ask Kiba what had happened. He wasn't even sure what to say about it in the first place. What if it was nothing? He could be worried over nothing… right?

Eventually he had to turn away. He couldn't look at Kiba anymore, not while he wore that haunted look on his face.

* * *

Kiba woke with a start, sweating and panting. Someone was in his room! He grabbed Akamaru tightly and reached for the kunai under his pillow, ready to attack whoever decided to sneak in. It was probably Hana again. She often came into his room in the middle of the night to set somthing loose inside or to steal his things. Once she even tried to smother Akamaru!

He whined when he couldn't find his knife and immediately covered his best friend with his body, who was now rousing from sleep. When the noise stopped, he stilled, waiting for something to attack him. Nothing happened.

Oh right. He wasn't home.

With a sigh of shaken relief, he sat up, rubbing his face and wiping the sweat from his forehead. He looked around, eyes now adjusted to the dark, and noticed Shino tossing and turning in his sleep. His eyes were shut tightly and his face set into a frown. Was he having a nightmare?

Kiba wasn't sure what to do in this case. He had never had to comfort a human with a nightmare, but he was sure he could do it… maybe?

He slid out of bed and crept closer, taking care to be silent as he tiptoed. He hesitant reached over and carefully laid his hand on Shino's head, stroking his hair as slowly and gently as possible. It was something that calmed him and Akamaru down, why not people too?

He smiled when he noticed that Shino finally started to settle and relax. His breathing had evened out and he was no longer frowning. Kiba decided to take it a step further and ran his fingers through the messy tangled locks that was Shino's hair and noticed that he settled down for good.

After a few minutes, he finally stopped and turned to walk away; a hand stopped him from leaving. Kiba looked down in surprise to see Shino reach for his glasses with his other hand before turning to look at him. They both seemed surprised at the sudden contact and Shino dropped Kiba's arm as if he were made of fire.

He looked around in a drowsy, yet hesitant state, before clearing his throat, "Why are you on my side of the room, Kiba?" Kiba almost flinched at the demanding tone but complied nonetheless, "You were having a nightmare," He whispered, "I thought I could help. I didn't mean to wake you up. Sorry man." He quickly retreated to his bed before he was questioned further.

Shino stared after his teammate who had crawled into bed with his back turned to him. He hesitantly touched his hair and thought back to the strange interaction. The gentle and careful affectionate pet he had received was… nice. It was something unknown, yet he felt that it was also something familiar. Torune's young face briefly flashed through his mind and he suddenly felt empty again.

He looked over to Kiba once more and moved to get comfortable in his bed. As he shut his eyes he couldn't help a smile at the thought of Kiba's warm hand on his head.

* * *

The sun had yet to rise as gentle gongs rang throughout the courtyard. Team Eight were sluggish getting out of bed, frequently yawning and rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. Kurenai was bright eyed and excited, looking forward to the training.

As they walked through the temple grounds, Team Eight were still in wonder of the statues and beauty that seemed to last well into the night and morning. The largest building was in fact where the Monks would meet to worship and then meditate. It was old but very well taken care of, as the wood was still kempt and the paint fresh.

The inside was just as traditional and clean as the outside. There were mats equally separated on the floors and scrolls hung all over with proverbs and names of old monks past. Large statues of the gods Tengu and Yamabushi stood side by side, staring down and passing wise judgement upon those who found themselves under their stone gazes.

A small gong was rung and everyone quickly found themselves a mat to kneel on. Hinata found herself between Kiba and Shino with Kurenai to the left. The young teacher smiled at them and motioned for them to be quiet, gesturing to Asuka who gracefully knelt upon the mat in the center front.

Everyone waited, anticipating his signal to begin. He took a deep breath and bowed his head in reverence, thus beginning the hour long prayer.

Shino found it hard to participate; being a person of science and logic, he found it almost impractical to have to pray every morning. He wasn't sure what to pray about other than the guidance he craved and the power he sought. He prayed for the happiness and well being of those he cared for and that maybe one day, he will receive love.

After that, what else was there to pray for? Surely he could achieve those things himself? To receive love and assist those who need it. He wasn't sure what praying to gods and deities would accomplish. Regardless, the continued to pray, if only to pay respects to these generous people.

"You know," A soft whisper beside him made him startle. He looked to see Asuka kneeling beside him, his gaze steady and eyes knowing. "It's ok if you don't find belief in gods." He looked to the statues sagely, "Not many people find peace in the other worldly that is worship and prayer; not many even believe in the the first place." He then placed a hand on Shino's head, "Nevertheless, we must find belief in something, and I believe in you just as much as Tengu and Yamabushi." He left then, back to his own mat to continue praying.

Shino sat there, stumped. Was this monk saying his disbelief in gods was ok? That he should believe in himself instead? Not even his own father, a man who also discouraged prayer and religion, had ever admitted belief in his own son. The warmth and gentleness of this Monk, this man, was overwhelming and went against everything that his parents had instilled in him. Shino then decided that maybe he should believe things in his own way.

He bowed his head and continued praying.

* * *

As they meditated, Kiba found himself squirming. He was itching to move and stretch his body and to see. He couldn't stand not being able to look around and see what was going on around him, it was so unnerving. What if someone tried to attack him? What if they tried to attack Akamaru?

He suddenly felt a hot breath down his neck and jumped up, getting ready to run and defend himself. Asuka took a step back, staring at Kiba as he calmed down. He didn't look the least bit troubled or surprised at Kiba's sudden movement, just a bit concerned and even curious.

Kiba realized what he had done and sat down with a quiet apology and closed his eyes again, embarrassed that he had been disruptive.

"Meditation," Asuka said, "Is to bring peace to your mind, tranquility to your heart and stability to your soul. We meditate not only to connect with the world around us, but for the sake of ourselves. Let the thoughts flow. Let your emotions rise. Take a deep breath and then let them go. You never truly find peace, unless you allow it to find you in return."

Kiba looked up into Asuka's old eyes. Eyes that have seen so much in the world and still continued to watch, even inside this old temple.

Kiba knew then, what Asuka was saying. He needed to allow himself to release the pent up aggression and feelings and calm himself so that he may be able to live more peacefully. If Kiba lived in fear, he would always be fearful. Having realized this, He nodded and sat back in lotus position, Akamaru laying in his lap. He took a deep breath and let go.

* * *

Hinata felt herself hesitate when the female monk beckoned her to spar. She knew that the all day training was taken seriously and she didn't want to disappoint anyone with her lack of skill or prowess. She felt herself spiral into a new level of self loathing and felt no need to try if she was doomed to fail.

She bowed to her opponent and attempted a hit, although it was weak and lacked the power she normally had. Her opponent frowned but continued to lightly spar, though not merciful with her blows. Hinata was defeated in no time and she shrugged off the dirt as she stood back up for another pointless round.

"Do you know the definition of insanity, young one?" Asuka was sitting on the balcony steps with a cup of hot tea in his hands. Hinata dropped her stance to answer him, "Insanity is the state of being seriously mentally ill or to be extremely foolish." Asuka nodded and sipped his tea quietly. Hinata waited, knowing he had more to say.

"There has been a saying that the definition of insanity is repeating the same action over and over and expecting a different outcome. What you're doing may not be insanity, but it is insane." Hinata deflated at his words, "The beauty of life is never knowing what to expect, to live in a constant state of change. There will rarely be a time where you repeat yourself so often that you know what to expect, and so you must change to accommodate the rest.

"In battle, you will never repeat yourself the same exact way, not ever. You must change because your opponent changed. You must win or allow yourself to die. Do not think that you can truly anticipate the future, for there will always be a change and it has to start with yourself."

As he finished his spare wisdom, he stood and walked away, wind billowing his robes ominously.

Hinata stared after him, thinking. If she continued to think on her failures and allow it to continue, she will always be a failure. She could see the future, yes, but that didn't mean she couldn't change it either. With that in mind, Hinata looked to her opponent and slid into her battle stance. The female monk smiled and Hinata found herself doing the same.

* * *

The first day was tough but Team Eight found themselves feeling a little more relaxed as well as confident with themselves.

Soon another day passed and then another. They began to conquer tree walking, and then water walking and Kurenai even taught the basics of genjutsu and gave them a few to practice. Double Illusion, Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death, Demonic Mist, to name a few. All of them worked tirelessly to perform each flawlessly.

After 10 days of training, Asuka finally decided to aid them in honing their more powerful abilities. He started with Kiba.

"What you want to do is try to find a balance within yourself and understand that you are more than just a man or a wolf, you are something deeper." Natsu was born of the Inuzuka bloodline many years ago but was banished for speaking against the unfair hierarchy between the males and the females. He was similar, although not the same to the Inuzuka heir. Whereas Kiba was more powerful, more beastly; Natsu himself was able to shift into an actual wolf, but nothing more than that.

Kiba was listening with rapt attention, "You don't want to allow your emotions to control you. If you become angry, you become a danger to others and yourself. Inuzuka's are wild, but not feral. In time, it will become easier to control yourself, to control your wolf, but it is important now that you do it as you are young." He had a teasing twinkle in his eyes, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."

Kiba smiled and took a deep breath, allowing himself a bit of release. He felt his nails claw and his teeth sharpen. "Good job." Natsu praised, "Now, slowly allow more but keep calm." Kiba did as he was told. It was slow and a bit uncomfortable but he was progressing. His eyes turned a dark red and his hair spiked wildly, he leaned forward unintentionally due to the sudden shift of balance in his spine.

He surely was more muscular and could feel his jacket straining against his new muscles. "Any further and your clothes may rip," Natsu laughed, "Your wolf form may be bigger than I had anticipated, even for as young as you are. Now I want you to shift back, but go slow so you don't hurt yourself."

Kiba found that shifting back was harder than the first shift. Having to force a return to a certain state put pressure on his body and he felt himself grow increasingly uncomfortable which slowed the process even more.

"Don't think about the pain or pressure or how difficult it is," Natsu advised, "Just feel. Remember how your body felt before and keep changing until it feels that way again."

Eventually, Kiba was able to switch back. Natsu had him practice a few times, if only to familiarize him with the process. He had a lot of hope for him, and found the hidden power within his bloodline.

"Let's take a run together," Natsu said, "We'll stretch our legs and maybe even hunt something." Kiba hesitated, "I thought you were on a vegan diet?" He asked quietly. He was a bit confused already with having a family member he knew nothing about, and now he was being told to hunt regardless of the diet requirement.

"I, as Natsu the Human, choose to eat a vegan diet, but every so often, my wolf, my spirit, will demand I eat meat. I have to hunt and eat as a wild animal to stay sane and to keep myself strong. It will be the same for you. Your wolf is more powerful than mine, so you will need to hunt and eat more often.

"You give a poor man a fish and you feed him for a day. You teach him to fish and you give him an occupation that will feed him for a lifetime. I will teach you to hunt so that you may feed yourself. Come now, before the sun sets."

Kiba followed Natsu into the woods behind the temple and watched as he fully shifted into an old grey wolf with bright blue eyes. He was small, but certainly larger than a normal wolf. Kiba followed suit, turning into a white wolf with bright red eyes. Despite his young age, he was nearly twice the size of Natsu and far more powerful. Natsu gestured with his muzzle for Kiba to follow, which he did with no uncertainty or doubt.

They ran. Kiba's fur flew with the wind and his lungs expanded with the cool clean air. All of his senses were on overdrive and suddenly, it was almost too surreal. And suddenly he had never felt more alive.

* * *

Shino watched the older woman move forward, her cane kicking up dust and her eyes warm. She was hunched, but even if she was able to stand straight, Shino knew she would still only reach his shoulder. He wondered briefly what stories she had behind those scars on her hands.

"Hello, young Aburame," She greeted, nodding her head, "I hear you have something special?" Shino bowed low to show his respect, "Yes ma'am." He replied. The old woman laughed and shook her head, "I'm not that old yet," She teased, "Call me Rui." Shino nodded, waiting for her to begin their lesson.

"You and I have a lot in common, Shino," She began, "We come from a clan where we make many sacrifices; even our bodies are not our own. Unfortunately I was attacked as a young shinobi and my insects died within me. After many procedures, I was empty of them and no other hive could survive inside of me. I was very sad indeed, until I was brought here. Now I live out my days teaching and so, you will be my first pupil."

"I am honored, Rui." Shino bowed once more. He was surprised to have never heard of Rui before. Here was a family member who had gone through something so terrible and yet her name was never uttered within his clan's walls. He wondered why that was?

Rui stood a bit straighter and nodded, "The first thing is to activate your seal and release the insect inside of you." She suddenly sprouted legs similar to that of a praying mantis as well as two large claw-looking forearms. She lifted herself into the air and stood at an intimidating height. Shino was at awe.

"Now you try." She encouraged.

Shino took a deep breath and released the seal on his back, the spider's legs stretching and twitching. It had been a while since he was able to fully utilize his ability and it felt like such a relief to finally free himself.

"A spider, eh?" Rui grinned, "I wonder what that means. It has been a very long time since a spider was born to the Aburame. Now, lift yourself as I have."

Shino hesitated before lifting himself slowly. The legs shook, not used to the weight of his body and he slipped a few times. "Slowly now," Rui guided, "Feel the weight of your body and evenly distribute it. You've done it before on two legs, eight should prove to be easier."

After a few errors, Shino was finally able to lift and set himself down with no problem at all. Rui praised him with each accomplishment and smiled brightly as Shino towered over her with his longer legs. "You're making excellent progress!" Rui exclaimed, "Now that we mastered standing, we must work on walking. Come, take a stroll with me."

She easily turned and walked slowly, waiting for Shino to catch up. Slowly, he extended his leg and then another and then another. Using his senses and his memory of watching spiders, he began to set a rhythm and walked.

He began to walk faster, catching up with Rui who beamed proudly at his progress. He walked a bit faster, fully stretching his legs. The walk then became a run and he sped forward, feeling so alive and free and happy. He jumped as high as he could, feeling the air beneath him and overlooking the temple tops into the forest surrounding them. It was too soon that he landed, although sloppily; he stumbled back and fell on his rear, laughing for the second time since his battle with Kiba and Hinata.

Rui walked up, chuckling along, "Rise, my spiderling," She commanded, "Let's walk about and show everyone your beauty." Shino hastily stood and followed behind her, feeling lighter than ever.

* * *

Hinata gasped at the ancient-looking man wearing bandages around his eyes, gracefully walking towards her without a cane or a seeing eye to guide him. A familiar green seal was shining proudly on his forehead.

Confidently, he strode forward, standing before Hinata and bowing respectfully, "Lady Hinata," He greeted, "My name is Sora. I was once of the Hyuga clan many years before even your father was born, serving as a branch member. I was banished, but not before my eyes were damaged beyond sight. I too, had advanced my doujutsu and my power had instilled a fear within the elders who thought I would overrule their authority. Now I am blind, and I live among these monks as a worshiper and as a man. I understand you and I are very alike?"

Hinata almost nodded before she realized he wouldn't see it, "Yes," She spoke, "My Byakugan can see far more than normal." Hinata wasn't the very least surprised that she had never heard of him before. If the elders were afraid of this branch member becoming too powerful, their hold over the rest would surely loosen and then the so-called-balance between the two houses would shift, leaving them with less power. It was only common sense that they would destroy him before he had a chance to grow; that's all they were good at anyways.

Sora nodded and sat in lotus position, prompting Hinata to do the same. She wondered, as she sat, what he had planned for her to do. "Close your eyes and relax." He commanded, "You can control this if you will it, but your soul must be at peace and your mind must be calm. Meditation is helpful, as seeing beyond this time and into another is a spiritual journey before it becomes a physical one. Soon, once we've mastered that, we can talk about alternate futures and dimensions."

That last one piqued Hinata's interest, but she did as she was told and willed herself to be calm. As she meditated she felt Sora's warm chakra mingle with her own, further soothing and aiding her in her first attempt. Slowly, her body melted away, her surroundings were clear and she could feel the earth as it moved. It was scary, but tranquil, almost somber.

"Activate your bloodline and try to look past the world. Tell me what you see." Sora's voice was far away, quietly echoing into her head. Hinata activated her Byakugan and attempted to look far away, past everything in her area. It was difficult, as she had only done so a few times on command, but it was definitely easier than before, especially now that she was so calm.

Hinata took a breath and searched, watching as the world moved forward. The sun slowly shifted from its position further west and people walked around them, slowly as to not disturb them. "Everything looks the same." She sighed, "I'm really trying."

Sora was pleased, "That's all I ask. It will take time but soon you will see what I have. Take a moment; concentrate." Hinata furrowed her brow and focused as best as she could, pushing herself more. She willed for time to speed in her mind's eye so that it may do so for her Byakugan. If only she could just focus. If only she pushed herself just a bit more...

Suddenly, it was as if a paper bomb exploded. The sun rushed to hide behind the trees with the moon chasing it in a never ending game of tag. Monks rushed by in blurs, going about their day as if nothing were out of the ordinary. Hinata watched as the weather changed and trees aged appropriately with the seasons. Everything sped by so fast and yet so slow. Hinata began to cry as she gawked in amazement. It was beautiful.

She jumped with a start as she opened her eyes to Sora's all knowing and patient smile. "How was it?" He asked almost teasingly. Hinata cried some more, laughing and wiping her face with her sleeve, "Beautiful." She sighed, "Can we try again?" Sora's laugh was deep and hearty, so unlike a Hyuga; but then again, he was free, and in this moment, they both were. "Of course, Lady Hinata," He obliged, listening as she straightened herself in her seat, "Once more, from the beginning."

Hinata closed her eyes, if only to see the beauty of her gift again.

* * *

Dinner that night was merrier than it had been the whole trip. Even Shino was talking and laughing and telling his own fair share of stories. Kurenai almost faltered at the thought of them having to go back home where all of them were so miserable. She knew that this feeling of relaxed joy and comfort could only last so long.

If she was going to be successful with her mission, with turning her team around and helping them, she was going to have to push them; she was going to have to break them. It was as if she were rebreaking a bone so that it may form correctly. Under her watch and careful guidance, she will have them regrow. They will be stronger, wiser, and able to handle everything life threw at them. She owed it to them.

She looked as Hinata laughed at Shino's joke, unconsciously leaning against Kiba for stability who was gasping for breath. Shino had a large smile on his face, visible for all to see as he had unbuttoned the top of his coat. They were so happy.

Kurenai felt her heart twist at the joyful scene before her and she couldn't help the sting behind her eyes and the shaking smile breaking through. For the first time since she took them as her students, everything felt right. She wanted nothing more than for the moment to last forever.

Kiba was finally in control of his anger, thanks to the many hours of meditation and practice. He put a lot of thought into his words and was often philosophical in strange, hidden ways that his teammates somehow understood. He was always encouraging his team when they were tired or failing. He was their friend and greatest inspiration to work harder.

Shino was more relaxed, more open than before and found his balance in his presence. He definitely was kinder and more careful with his way of speaking. He and Kiba bonded over sarcastic and snarky teasing with each other, saying things that sounded awful to anyone outside of their group but was intended with affection and friendship. He was definitely the leader, seeing as how his team looked to him for plans.

Hinata was definitely more outspoken and forceful but somehow retained her innocent and gentle nature. Kurenai noticed that Kiba and Shino naturally doted on her and listened as she spoke. Whether it was because she was a girl or because of her unconditional devotion and kindness towards them, she noticed that Hinata would always be the one to calm either boy down or to uplift them when they failed. She protected them, mentally and emotionally.

Kurenai was obviously the real leader, but she somehow made the status of "The Mother" within her group. She noticed when Kiba would look at her from the corner of his eye whenever he was unsure, how Shino would unconsciously seek her out for counsel and company, or how Hinata would seek her approval and hugged her tightly at any moment's notice. They looked up to her for guidance, acception and maybe, just maybe, a little bit of love.

And in many years, after she retired and watched her former team chatting over drinks, leaning against each other unreserved and laughing together, she would look back to this scene and confirm that she did, indeed and unknowingly, love her team.

That's why she was going to save them.

But that part of the story comes later; for now, she allowed herself to forget what was to come, she only focused on the present. She casually leaned onto the table as Hinata started her own story and watched as her students came alive for the first time.

* * *

Training was going splendid, Team Eight was sad that it was coming to an end. They were hoping to come back to visit one day when they had the chance. Asuka smiled and told them he would love to have them return one day, he would even throw a feast in their honor.

They were to leave in three days time.

Kurenai had asked for a secluded room in which she could privately train her students without interruption. Asuka, still smiling, though noticeably pensive, agreed and lead the four to the back of the temple grounds.

The buildings were noticeably older but still well kept. The designs engraved within the walls were well ancient and carefully handcrafted. The accents were marvelous and pleasing to the eye. A large temple, though smaller than the main temple, sat in the back, accompanied by large willow trees and a small koi pond. The students of Team Eight looked to each other with hesitation as they walked up the steps to the door.

With a grand sweep Asuka opened the door to reveal a large room with thick columns and a spiral engraving on the floor. It was dark, lit by torches and whatever sun that managed to shine through cracks in the walls or ceilings.

"This room is soundproof," Asuka suddenly said, "We have had many training sessions, council meetings, and even ceremonies here. No one from the outside can listen in, and it is accessible from only the inside once you begin. Is this more than enough for your training?"

Kurenai nodded grimly and thanked the monk as he left the room with nothing more to say. Team Eight watched and looked to each other again, wondering what kind of training they would have to endure to receive such a response.

Kurenai sat on the spiral in lotus and gestured for her students to do the same, which they did so quickly. "As you know," She began, "My specialty is genjutsu. I have had many years of training in this specific area to know nearly everything about it. I have even trained with a Yamanaka, who allowed me the use of lesser, more well known jutsus to add to my arsenal. That means, I can still cast a genjutsu on you, Shino and Hinata, but nothing too strong, only enough to catch you and hold you for a small time.

"Today, we will go through mental training, I will cast a genjutsu that will help you deal with the core fundamental shinobi duty, which will be taking a life." She watched as they shifted nervously but continued, "I realize that none of of you have had the opportunity to deal with something that serious. Even in the academy, they explain the act of killing; they even go as far to tell you how to do it, but learning it from words is different than learning from experience. I will help you experience that now.

"Later on, we will deal with harder things; the death of fellow shinobi, rape, torture, and even war, but for now, I need you to learn how to do this and to be able to live with it. If you can pass this, I promise, it will get easier over time." She took a moment to look at each of them. All of them, even Shino, looked nervous for such a task, but she had no doubt in them. They would have to pass if they wanted to be stronger.

"Let us begin." She announced. She performed the proper hand signs and focused hard to divide her attention to three different minds. Shino was a bit harder, as he had Kikaichu beetles keeping him impervious to genjutsu. She added more chakra and finally felt a breakthrough in entering their delusions. With a focused breath, she dived in and began her training.

* * *

Team Eight waved goodbye from the temple, promising to visit again. The monks all cheerfully waved back before casting their protection jutsu that hid them from plain sight. "Did you all enjoy yourselves?" Kurenai asked as she led the team through the dense forest. Kiba started to go on about how amazing everything was, Akamaru barking on his head, while Shino and Hinata smiled happily from the back, showing their appreciation. Kurenai smiled and nodded, turning around again to face the front.

They traveled pretty far before taking their first break. Kiba kept watch this time as his teammates sat against the tree and ate their packed foods. Kiba casually paced around, looking in all directions and sniffing for danger. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Everything was peaceful and quiet save for the small chatter of his team in the background. Kiba smiled to himself, reaching up to scratch Akamaru's ear who yipped happily.

Then, suddenly, it happened. Something was wrong, he could feel it. There was an overwhelming sense of dread hanging in the air, followed by killer intent. Kurenai stood up and looked around, silencing the small talk immediately.

All too soon, they were surrounded by rogue ninja and bandits. All of these large, threatening people carried sharp weapons and moved closer. "Give us all of your possessions or we'll kill you!" The leader of the group was a man with a large shuriken on his back and a patch on his right eye.

Kurenai looked around slowly, surveying the area for a means of escape. She realized they had none, and they would need to fight. She hoped her team was ready.

Time had apparently run out, because all at once, three ninja ran to attack her, brandishing their weapons and yelling their war cries. Kurenai grabbed her own kunai and clashed with them, sparks flying and blades singing as they met.

Soon, it was a battle to win and the rest of the bandits went in to attack. While Hinata and Shino had two other lackeys to fight, Kiba had the leader himself, who wore a smug grin on his face. "You're just a little kid," He mocked, "Defeating you will be no problem." He shrugged off his shuriken and threw it, aiming for Kiba's neck. Kiba ducked and ran at the leader, performing hand signs, "Ninja Art of Beast Mimicry: All Four Jutsu!" He got down on his hands and feet, chakra leaking from his body. He was ready.

Still running, he swiped his hand aiming for the man's face who took a step back and kicked. Unfortunately, he caught Kiba in the gut and sent him flying back. He ran after him, picking up the stray shuriken and throwing it once more, "You'll have to do better than that, kid!" He taunted. Kiba ducked under the shuriken, barely skimming the blade and aimed a kick, which, thankfully, landed. The man, however, didn't move very far, not even grunting in pain from the powerful kick.

He threw a punch which landed on Kiba's left cheek and kicked once more, sending him to the ground. The man grabbed Kiba by the throat and held him in the air, pinning him to a tree nearby. "Once I finish you off," He cackled, "I'm going to kill your team, all of them."

Akamaru suddenly jumped into the air and sunk his teeth into the man's arm, growling and pulling as hard as he could. The man yelled in surprise and pried the young pup from his arm before throwing him as hard as he could into another tree. Akamaru yelped in pain, causing Kiba's heart to twist painfully in his chest.

"Akamaru!" He cried. The man laughed at the heartbreaking scene and began to choke Kiba once more, "What a filthy little animal," He hissed, "I hope for your sake he isn't alive, because I'll be sure to skin him and make a new hat." Kiba felt rage bloom in his chest at the man's words. Akamaru was all that Kiba had from his father. No way was he going to let him hurt his best friend.

"Kiba!" Kurenai yelled, beaten and bloody. Hinata wasn't moving and Shino was on his knees, nose gushing blood. Kiba couldn't stand the sight; he had to do something but he couldn't while this man was still holding onto him.

It was as if his mind went into overdrive, he knew what he had to do. With whatever power he had left in his body, he grew his claws and aimed. Kurenai nearly smirked, seeing his plan, "Kiba," She called out once more, "Do it now!"

* * *

Team Eight waved goodbye from the temple, promising to visit again. The monks all cheerfully waved back before casting their protection jutsu that hid them from plain sight. "Did you all enjoy yourselves?" Kurenai asked as she led the team through the dense forest. Kiba started to go on about how amazing everything was, Akamaru barking on his head, while Shino and Hinata smiled happily from the back, showing their appreciation. Kurenai smiled and nodded, turning around again to face the front.

They traveled pretty far before taking their first break. Hinata kept watch this time as her teammates sat against the tree and ate their packed foods. Hinata casually swayed in her spot, looking in all directions for any sign of danger. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Everything was peaceful and quiet save for the small chatter of her team in the background. Hinata smiled, allowing herself to hum cheerfully as she waited.

Then, suddenly, it happened. Something was wrong, she could feel it. There was an overwhelming sense of dread hanging in the air, followed by killer intent. Kurenai stood up and looked around, silencing the small talk immediately.

All too soon, they were surrounded by rogue ninja and bandits. All of these large, threatening people carried sharp weapons and moved closer. "Give us all of your possessions or we'll kill you!" The leader of the group was a man with a large shuriken on his back and a patch on his right eye.

Kurenai looked around slowly, surveying the area for a means of escape. She realized they had none, and they would need to fight. She hoped her team was ready.

Time had apparently run out, because all at once, three ninja ran to attack her, brandishing their weapons and yelling their war cries. Kurenai grabbed her own kunai and clashed with them, sparks flying and blades singing as they met.

Soon, it was a battle to win and the rest of the bandits went in to attack. While Kiba and Shino had two other lackeys to fight, Hinata had the leader himself, who wore a smug grin on his face. "You're just a little girl," He mocked, "Defeating you will be no problem." He shrugged off his shuriken and threw it, aiming for Hinata's neck. Hinata ducked and ran at the leader, performing hand signs, "Byakugan! Gentle Fist!" She slid into proper form, chakra gathering to her hands. She was ready.

Still running, she thrust her hand out, aiming for the man's solar plexus who had taken a step back and kicked. Unfortunately, he caught Hinata in the gut and sent her flying back. He ran after her, picking up the stray shuriken and throwing it once more, "You'll have to do better than that, little girl!" He taunted. Hinata flipped over the shuriken, barely skimming the blade and aimed a kick, which, thankfully, landed. The man, however, didn't move very far, not even grunting in pain from the powerful kick.

He threw a punch which landed on Hinata's left cheek and kicked once more, sending her to the ground. The man grabbed Hinata by the throat and held her in the air, pinning her to a tree nearby. "Once I finish you off," He cackled, "I'm going to kill your team, all of them."

Hinata tried to fight back once more, kicking her chakra enhanced lags as hard as she could and jabbing her fingers into his arms; she even went as far as to scratch and attempted to bite him, but it was futile. She had no way out.

"Let go of me!" She cried. The man laughed at the pathetic scene and began to choke Hinata harder, "What a pathetic little Hyuga," He hissed, "I hope for your sake that you die rather quickly, I hear getting your eyes pulled out of your head really hurts. Maybe I'll even sell them to the cloud ninja." Hinata felt rage bloom in her chest at the man's words. It was because of the Cloud that her dear uncle was dead, and now this man was going to sell her eyes to them and make his sacrifice worthless?

"Hinata!" Kurenai yelled, beaten and bloody. Shino wasn't moving and Kiba was on his knees, nose gushing blood. Hinata's heart broke at the sight; she had to do something but she couldn't while this man was still holding onto her.

It was as if a devil was whispering into her ear, she knew what she had to do. With whatever power she had left in his body, she activated her Byakugan and aimed. Kurenai nearly smirked, seeing her plan, "Hinata," She called out once more, "Do it now!"

* * *

Team Eight waved goodbye from the temple, promising to visit again. The monks all cheerfully waved back before casting their protection jutsu that hid them from plain sight. "Did you all enjoy yourselves?" Kurenai asked as she led the team through the dense forest. Kiba started to go on about how amazing everything was, Akamaru barking on his head, while Shino and Hinata smiled happily from the back, showing their appreciation. Kurenai smiled and nodded, turning around again to face the front.

They traveled pretty far before taking their first break. Shino kept watch this time as his teammates sat against the tree and ate their packed foods. Shino casually leaned against a tree, looking in all directions and sending his bugs to search for danger. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Everything was peaceful and quiet save for the small chatter of his team in the background. Shino almost smiled to himself and began to count the seconds as they passed.

Then, suddenly, it happened. Something was wrong, he could feel it. There was an overwhelming sense of dread hanging in the air, followed by killer intent. Kurenai stood up and looked around, silencing the small talk immediately.

All too soon, they were surrounded by rogue ninja and bandits. All of these large, threatening people carried sharp weapons and moved closer. "Give us all of your possessions or we'll kill you!" The leader of the group was a man with a large shuriken on his back and a patch on his right eye.

Kurenai looked around slowly, surveying the area for a means of escape. She realized they had none, and they would need to fight. She hoped her team was ready.

Time had apparently run out, because all at once, three ninja ran to attack her, brandishing their weapons and yelling their war cries. Kurenai grabbed her own kunai and clashed with them, sparks flying and blades singing as they met.

Soon, it was a battle to win and the rest of the bandits went in to attack. While Hinata and Kiba had two other lackeys to fight, Shino had the leader himself, who wore a smug grin on his face. "You're just a little kid," He mocked, "Defeating you will be no problem." He shrugged off his shuriken and threw it, aiming for Shino's neck. Shino ducked and ran at the leader, spreading his arms and summoning his kikaichu, "Here I go." He already started to work out a plan, insects leaking from his body. He was ready.

Still running, he threw a strong right hook, aiming for the man's face, who took a step back and kicked. Unfortunately, he caught Shino in the gut and sent him flying back. He ran after him, picking up the stray shuriken and throwing it once more, "You'll have to do better than that, kid!" he taunted. Shino stepped to his left and dodged the shuriken, barely skimming the blade before aiming a kick, which, thankfully, landed. The man, however, didn't move very far, not even grunting in pain from the powerful kick.

He threw a punch which landed on Shino's left cheek and kicked once more, sending him to the ground. The man grabbed Shino by the throat and held him in the air, pinning him to a tree nearby. "Once I finish you off," He cackled, "I'm going to kill your team, all of them."

Shino called out his bugs to attack. They bit the man all over but were unable to feed off of his chakra. Shino then tried to kick and punch as hard as he could, using his own chakra to enhance the force of every blow.

He said nothing, but the effort was clear with every grunt he made. The man laughed at the miserable scene and began to choke Shino harder, "What a sad, degenerate cockroach," He hissed, "I hope for your sake you don't live very long, because I'll be sure to cut you open and burn all those disgusting bugs inside of you." Shino felt rage bloom in his chest at the man's words. He was tired of being called a cockroach as if he wasn't human. This man was going to pay.

"Shino!" Kurenai yelled, beaten and bloody. Hinata wasn't moving and Kiba was on his knees, nose gushing blood. Shino felt something twist inside of him at the sight, he had to do something but he couldn't while this man was still holding onto him.

It was as if his mind suddenly blanked with one thing being clear; he knew what he had to do. With whatever power he had left in his body, he summoned bugs into his hands and aimed. Kurenai nearly smirked, seeing his plan, "Shino," She called out once more, "Do it now!"

* * *

All at once, each genin through their last bit of power at this bandit who threatened not only their lives, but the lives of their comrades as well. It was as if all of their morals or higher thoughts suddenly vanished with basic survival and instinct ruling over with one last attempt at freedom and life; and that was to kill this man.

Kiba slashed his throat with sharpened claws. His throat opened and spewed blood from his artery, coating Kiba in the red mess.

Hinata struck his heart and lungs with precise chakra control. He began to choke on his blood, eventually coughing a large amount onto Hinata.

Shino punched his ear, infesting his brain with bugs. As they began to eat away, they grew bigger with all the chakra inside and his head exploded, sending blood everywhere.

Of course, they all screamed.

Kurenai rushed over to them and held each and every one of her genin in her arms, ignoring the blood. "You did what you had to do." She told them, "It was either you or him. If you chose to let yourself die, you have let your team to die. We're alive because of you." She held them a little tighter, "One day, you'll see, it won't be as hard as this was. It's going to get easier and you're going to look back on this and wonder why it was like this in the beginning. You saved lives, including your own. That's what matters."

It clicked then, for all three of them, that this was what they were trained to do. They were made to be ninja, to be killers. They were to make these kinds of decisions at any moment if that meant accomplishing a mission, saving a life or surviving. This was what it meant to be a shinobi.

All too soon, they were back at the temple, dazed and confused. What happened to the forest? It felt so real.

Kurenai smiled as the look of relief spread across their faces. She was glad that they were able to handle it so.. Maturely. It was a proud moment but also worrisome. If death was something they became so easily desensitized to, would that mean they had all seen or experienced it somehow?

Her face fell again as she realized that all of this training and traveling was coming to an end. She had to do the one thing that would prepare them for the trip back home as well as many more days in the village until their freedom.

Kurenai cleared her throat, catching their attention. Once they noticed the serious aura, their bodies tensed up for whatever they were imagining was going to happen next. "I'm sure you've all realized by now that this was no simple delivery mission." Her students nodded, prompting her to continue, "We came here to strengthen your abilities and help you gain a sense of control over your power, as well as yourself. I've come to notice, however, that something is bothering each and every one of you.

"Kiba, you're our most rambunctious of the group, but somehow, I don't think you get that many bruises from being a little too wild.

"Shino, I know that you are our most serious and no nonsense type, but you are clueless to healthy relationships and interactions.

"And Hinata, I know that whenever you are having a... really bad day, you show up smelling like roses, ginger and healing ointment.

"All of you are hiding something, something you are ashamed of and scared to talk about, but I know what that is. I know your secrets and as your teacher, I want you to come forward so that we as a team can help each other. This is something you cannot hide from, not from me or each other and certainly not yourselves. I'm going to go into each of your heads and you are going to face your fears and your demons."

At the pale faces, she softened her features and tried again, "I'm sorry it has to be like this, but I know that once you all realize what you have in common, what you can do to fight this, you will be stronger, unshakable. As shinobi, we're going to be fighting all of our lives, why not fight this together?"

She didn't receive any verbal responses, but she knew they had prepared themselves for the worst. "Demonic Illusion: Ghost of Shinobi Past."


	9. Chapter 9

**I apologize for the procrastination, but lucky for you I'm on my way writing the next chapter as we speak!**

 **Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of its other name rights. Happy Reading!**

* * *

It was dark. It was cold. Shino groaned and lifted his head, sitting up and stretching. He looked around the room and sighed at the familiar sight of his bedroom. He wasn't sure why it gave him so much comfort, seeing as how he was mostly isolated, but the peace and quiet seemed to always appeal to his introverted nature.

A knock on his door startled him out of his thoughts. Shino immediately stood and walked over to open it. It was his mother.

"Mother," He greeted. She only said, "Breakfast." And then walked away. Not unusual since she did often make effort to say as little as possible. Shino sighed and shut the door to change himself; it was considered rude to eat in your pajamas in his house.

He walked down the stairs and saw his father reading a scroll at the table, his mother serving him hot tea and eggs. This was also not unusual. There was little to no talking in the Aburame household, not by rule of course, but by preference. Shino often did wish for a small, idle conversation or sometimes one with actual meaning and depth, but he also didn't wish to displease his father or disrupt his silent routine.

His mother also gave him breakfast and tea, before serving herself and taking a seat. His father looked up and began eating. Shino was about to dig in when his father suddenly stared at him, "Shino," He called. The boy looked to his father expectantly, waiting for him to continue speaking.

Something didn't feel right about the morning, almost as if it were a dream. There was a slight disturbance with the scene but he knew that his bugs would disrupt any genjutsu that was placed, so maybe there wasn't anything to worry about.

Despite that last thought, he couldn't help but feel the presence of three other people over his shoulders.

"Shino," His father said, "I assume that your mission was successful?" Shino nodded silently, receiving a nod in return, and that was that. There was no reassurance, no words of encouragement, no affection, only coldness. Shino could feel the same coldness crawling into his chest and suffocating him.

His mother then spoke up, turning to face him, "Remember what your father has talked about: that Aburame succeed. We have no room for useless distractions that lead to failure; take care in not becoming too involved with your teammates or clients."

Shino nodded once more and ate his breakfast. His parents had finished theirs and stood to leave, cleaning after themselves and going their separate ways. Shino sat at the table, eating slowly and staring into space.

Per routine, he would continue for another five minutes before cleaning after himself as well. He had the option of training or tending to their many colonies of insects they had within the compound. He knew he wouldn't see his parents until dinner time, where they would essentially ignore each other until it was time for bed.

That's how it always was.

He felt no love, no affection from his family and it did something to him that toyed with his head. Was he not good enough? Was he not worthy of love? These questions pushed him to work harder, to become the perfect son they wanted. He didn't know how to properly form a friendly sentence and often found himself avoiding any type of social situation. If the need to interact ever came up, he felt the need to run. There was an anxiety there that he never questioned.

No, he was not worthy of love and friendship. Not at all.

"So what?" A snarky voice hissed, "You thought you could have real friends? That's ridiculous. Ninja are supposed to be better than that, above the silly notion of companionship and feelings. You're an Aburame; you're a hollow shell of a man, a hive for bugs. You're not human."

Shino looked up to see a grotesque, bug-hybrid version of himself staring back at him from across the table, bugs crawling and leaking from his face and jacket. He frowned and shook his head, "No," He declared, "I'm not a simple hive that will live a cold life and die a colder death. I am a person, a human, they said so themselves."

"Are you talking about your team?" The Darker Shino asked, "You speak as if they actually meant their lies. Your father was right; relationships do weaken your mind, they make you delusional. This is what we are," He stood to his full height and pushed the table away, "A hive. A shell. We are ninja who live and die and live and die. We're not meant for bonds and friends or anything of the like.

"You and I are the same. We are each other. We are cold, emotionless, without love. Don't forget it. Do you really think that they could ever really be your friends?" Shino felt himself becoming colder at the words.

He was right, of course. They didn't really care about him. They thought he was disgusting, a thing that didn't deserve their kindness. He couldn't even gain the affection of his parents, so why would it be any different with his team? He wasn't anyone- anything to love.

A dark aura descended upon him.

* * *

Kiba and Hinata both felt their heart ache at the sight of their teammate in pain. Shino stood watching the scene with no emotion on his face. It was something he had learned to forget, or rather, ignore. He didn't know that his lifestyle was abnormal until seeing it from an outside view.

He decided to say nothing, choosing instead to stare ahead and ignore the looks of pain on his team's face. He noticed that Kurenai said nothing. A knowing grimace stained her face and he briefly wondered how she knew and why she never said anything.

* * *

Kiba reached for the kunai knife under his pillow, gripping it tightly as he tried to fall back asleep. Akamaru snuggled closer to his side, still dead to the world. Kiba couldn't ignore the sunlight shifting through his windows, bothering his eyes and warming his face, so he sat up and stretched a bit, popping the joints in his neck until he was comfortable.

He slowly got up and got dressed, shaking off the lingering slumber and tiredness. He was planning to escape today, maybe go to the park or the woods with Akamaru before his mother or sister could figure out his absence.

He listened as hard as he could for the sound of footsteps and sniffed the air for the scent of his sister's cheap perfume. There was nothing. He hurriedly grabbed Akamaru and gently placed him on top of his head, covering him with the hood and peaking out of his door. No one was in the hallways, it seemed.

Kiba hurried downstairs and turned the corner that lead to the back door. He was almost out! He was going to make it! Suddenly he was on the floor, having tripped over something in the hallway. Hana stood by laughing, arms crossed and head high, her own dog standing beside her to look down on them.

Kiba immediately grabbed Akamaru from his head and held him close, not trusting Hana to be kind to his companion. He attempted to stand only to be kicked and held down by Hana's foot. "Stay there longer, puppy." She said, "It's only right that you remember where your place really is." Kiba didn't say anything, choosing instead to sigh and wait until she was done tormenting him. He really just wanted to go outside.

When Hana noticed that he wasn't reacting the way she wanted, she frowned and pushed harder, "Sometimes I wish you were never born." She hissed lowly. Kiba closed his eyes and willed the anger and pain to disappear, knowing that all she wanted was a reaction, but he refused to give it to her.

Footsteps halted her assault. Tsume came around the corner to see Hana stepping on Kiba, glaring at him as if her were a turd on her shoes. She looked at Kiba, eyes closed and face twisted with pain as he clung to Akamaru. She sighed, almost as if the scene was tiring to watch.

"Hana," She called, "It's time for some training." She turned to her son who remained on the floor, "Try not to get in the way, Kiba; I don't have time for bullshit today." With that she walked away, Hana following after giving Kiba another harsh kick. Kiba waited until the footsteps were gone before he stood up and ran out of the back door as planned.

Akamaru whimpered worriedly, giving his master a small lick on his cheek as he ran. Kiba smiled sadly and continued to run until his house was far behind him.

* * *

Hinata felt tears spring into her eyes as Kiba stood and watched, his face void of all emotion. Even Shino felt a strong surge of sympathy for the Dog Boy as he looked on. This was something he wouldn't have guessed happened to Kiba, since he was always cheerful and happy.

Without meaning to do so, Kiba began petting Akamaru and lowered his eyes so he wouldn't have to see anymore. He figured that it was a genjutsu he was seeing, but he couldn't figure out why it was so strange to see this on the outside. More so, why was Kurenai acting like she had seen this before?

* * *

Hinata opened her eyes to the plain white room and stared. She didn't want to get up to face her sister again or even worse, her cousin. She closed her eyes and prayed for herself that day, that she would make it until the night, before getting up and getting dressed. Her long pajamas covered bruises and scars all over her body.

She pulled on her jacket and walked downstairs, avoiding the hateful glares sent her way. There was nothing she could do, for she knew that the eyes would keep staring, keep hating, until she died. Sometimes she wondered what she did to receive such hatred, other times she felt she deserved it for not being strong enough. Regardless, she knew that it would never end.

She reached the dojo, freezing in place as she saw Neji waiting for her on the mat, a glare in his eyes and a sadistic smirk on his face. He was ready, it seemed. Hanabi sat with her father off to the side, staring forward obediently, not bothering to turn her head. Hiashi sighed as Hinata stood in place, "Move, Hinata," He scolded, "Face your opponent and fight. We haven't the time to be waiting on you forever."

Hinata did as she was told and moved forward, taking a shaky breath with each step. She knew how this was going to end and really wanted to get it over with so that she could go back to hiding in her room. She noticed Hanabi turning to face her now, eyes watching carefully.

Hinata stood on the mat and slid into her stance; she felt stiff and awkward, having to limit her flexibility to such a restricting fighting style. No matter how much she practiced, she could never quite get her katas right, never get enough power in her hits or move as naturally as the other Hyuga. Because of this, she was even more of a failure.

She tried her best to defeat Neji, but was never close enough to hitting him even once. She felt tears in her eyes as she threw another useless palm, only to be parried and struck in the chest. A burning sensation spread and she felt it hard to breathe. This was agony.

"Stand." Hiashi commanded. Hinata did the best she could, arms shaking and legs weak. As soon as she was on her feet, she was sprawled on the ground again, coughing and biting back a scream of pain. Her body was numb, her lungs were in pain from drawing breaths and her mind was blank. She wished she was dead.

"Your uselessness knows no bounds." Hiashi spat, "You are pathetic and weak, it makes me ill just looking at you. I'm sure your mother would have found the same disgust as I do. Prepare for the branch seal; you shall receive it soon enough." He stood and exited the dojo, Hanabi on his heels.

A sudden pain in her stomach left her dry heaving and gagging. It seems that Neji had kicked her. Another kick sent her flying away and into the wall, "Why are you still breathing?" He asked in her ear, pulling her hair, "Just stop living already." He left her then, crumpled in a heap on the floor, crying.

She wasn't sure how, but she managed to drag herself into her room, sitting by her bed as she wrapped her injuries and unblocked her chakra points. She gave the kunai a long sideways glance.

She lunged for it slashing her arms with no remorse, crying and grunting with each slice. Blood pooled down and soon she was sitting in a puddle of it, watching the tears mix with the red. She leaned her head back and stared at the ceiling once more, closing her eyes and praying.

* * *

Hinata covered her mouth and turned away, face green and eyes burning. She felt such shame for her teammates seeing her weakness, for seeing her pain. She began to cry hiding her now-red face and hunching over. Kiba was speechless, Shino was feeling sick, and Kurenai sighed, closing her eyes as she allowed Hinata the decency of tears.

She didn't like doing this to her students, breaking them over and over again, but it was necessary. She just hoped they wouldn't resent her for it, that they wouldn't hate her for invading their privacy. It was wrong of her to do, and often times she felt that she was hurting them more than actually helping them. They didn't need their personal lives put on display for everyone to see. They didn't need to relive traumatic scenes in their lives in front of the other.

She didn't want to do this, but damn it, she needed to do something. She couldn't allow them to be broken like THIS anymore. They needed to learn a different way, and if she didn't do it now, there was a chance that someone else, enemy or not, would do it instead and it would send them back into a spiral.

She felt her heart twist and her gut clench. She wanted to throw up. She wanted to cry. God, she wanted this to all be over and for her students to be safe, but she couldn't stop now. No, she was too far into this to turn back. "Please let this be over soon," She prayed as she performed another hand sign, "Please let me stop."

She turned away as their biggest nightmares came to life.

* * *

Shino stared up in horror as his darker clone shifted into his father and mother. They stared down upon him with disapproving glares and hands ready to grab him, "You are not like them, Shino." His father spoke. Bugs began to pour out of his mouth, frightening Shino further, "You are a hive. You are an Aburame; and Aburame are not humans. You will join us in this form, becoming the perfect specimen for our clan. Leave them behind."

Shino stumbled back and whimpered, drawing his limbs in closer and stiffening his body. He never felt more afraid, more disgusted in his entire life. Is this what he was meant to be? Was this what they had planned for him? His eyes roamed their figures and he felt a sickening lurch in his stomach. It was too much. He wasn't going to let this happen, he couldn't!

Shino began to run, hoping to come up with a plan before he was stopped and transformed into whatever his parents were. He didn't get far, seeing as how his mother stood in front of him suddenly, spreading her arms so that he stopped. "Shino," She hissed, "Listen to your father. This is going to happen one way or another."

Shino screamed as his mother grabbed him by the arm, pulling him closer to his father. Hinata and Kiba turned at the scream, seeing Shino crying as he was being dragged away.

Hinata was the first to act, Kiba right behind her. They grabbed Shino's arms and pulled back as hard as they could, eventually freeing Shino and saving him. Akamaru growled from on top of Kiba's head. "Stay behind us, Shino!" Kiba commanded as he pulled out a kunai, "We won't let her take you away from us, right, Hinata?" Hinata stood defensively with her arms out in front of her, "Right!" Her Byakugan was activated.

"You think that you can stop the inevitable?" Sana hissed. Shibi moved in behind her, "Shino will always be Aburame and Aburame will never be like you. He's not human. He is a machine, a monster, a hollow shell for the village. He cannot feel and he will never be capable of ever loving you, Team Eight."

Shino lowered his head in shame and contempt for himself. He was right of course. Shino was not meant to be a ninja like Kiba and Hinata. He wasn't capable of love, and he was never to receive it.

"That's not true!" Hinata yelled, "Shino may be hard to get along with sometimes but he's more than just a name!" Kiba decided to jump in, "Yeah! He's our best friend! He's an important member of our team! He has ever right to be happy or sad or angry whenever he feels like it, even if he's a ninja. Not all ninjas are cold and dead inside you know!" Akamaru barked, as if to back up the statement.

Shino was surprised to hear his team talk so… highly of him. He didn't know that they cared for him this deeply, enough to be willing to fight his parents and prove to them that he could be his own person and allow himself the bit of freedom as to express himself.

He stepped forward and grabbed his teammates hands, "I refuse to leave behind my team in favor of becoming a shell. I am allowed to feel however I please. I can be loved and I am loved. I am a human." Saying this took a lot of effort, and even more so to believe it. Although it wasn't fullhearted, Shino knew that some part of him truly believed it, if not because of him holding hands with Hinata and Kiba. He knew they cared for him, and in some way loved him, an he was willing to accept it and return the love.

Shino's parents disappeared, not a sound made and they all visibly relaxed. It was over for now.

A clawed hand reached from the darkness and snatched Kiba by his coat, pulling him back and far away from his team. He yelled in surprise, twisting his body around in an attempt to loosen the harsh grasp on his person. He was thrown to the ground roughly and looked up to see his sister standing over him with her teeth bared in an evil smile. He crawled backwards as fast as he could, his eyes never leaving her as she moved to close the gap between them.

"It's all your fault," Hana growled at him, "Father leaving was all your fault. If you had never been born, he would have never left. I hate you, Kiba." She spat, "You're a pathetic nothing that I can't wait to kill. I'll be sure to hurt Akamaru first!" Kiba paled at the thought and attempted to move further away, clutching his dog to his chest.

Hana kicked hard, sending him flying back from the force. Kiba whimpered and moved so Akamaru wouldn't get hurt. He didn't know what to do. This happened so often that he just took it and hoped his mother would get in the way so that he wasn't hurt too badly to have to explain it. He didn't know why she blamed him for everything, why she had to hurt him all the time, or why Tsume allowed it.

This was more painful than any punch, kick or stabbing.

A figure stood in front of him, hiding him in their shadow. Shino stood protectively over Kiba, Hinata coming to his side. "Are you ok?" She asked worriedly. Kiba could barely manage a nod when Shino spoke up, "The only reason you abuse Kiba, is because of the sick twisted image you have from your father."

Hana stiffened in anger as he continued, "You we're never quite as loved from your father, despite the obvious favor from your mother, so you learned to hate him instead and his gender as a whole. Since Kiba resembles his father so much, you associated that hate onto him and now torture him as your pastime entertainment."

Hinata stood up straight, deciding to put in her own two cents, "You're afraid that Kiba will be stronger than you one day, and then you'll have nothing to 'rule' over and make you feel better about yourself; and you should be afraid of that, because Kiba is going to become very strong and beat you one day!"

Kiba couldn't fathom why they believed so deeply in him. He thought for sure they were going to pity him because of the way he was treated. He didn't think they would say nice things about him and promise Hana's demise on his behalf. If felt good. It made him feel strong.

He stood then and grabbed his teammates hands. He didn't need his blood family to love him, when he had a perfectly good family here. "You're not going to push me around ever again!" He shouted, "I'm going to become strong like dad, and I already have more power than you could ever hope!"

Hana screamed and ran at them, arms outstretched and claws ready to maim. Kiba closed his eyes and held their hands tighter, "I'm not going to be afraid of you anymore!"

When he opened them, Hana was suddenly gone. Kiba dropped to his knees and took a shaky breath, hiding his face in his hands as he processed what had just happened.

Although Hana in the real world wasn't gone, he still felt lighter, less afraid. He knew there was still going to be trouble ahead of him, but with Hinata and Shino by his side, he knew that they were going to help him anyway they could.

Hinata felt a cold hand on her wrist and looked up to see Neji's hateful eyes glaring down at her. She turned to look back at Kiba and Shino and found them gone. It was just them now.

"Hello Princess," Neji snarled in her face, "Miss me?" He threw her to her father's feet, who stood over her impassively, "Hinata," His voice was ice cold and dismissive, "You are a failure to our clan and so it is time that you be disposed of, but first, you will receive the curse mark. Neji, hold her down."

Hinata screamed as Neji pinned her to the floor using his weight against her as she struggled against him, "Please, father, don't do this. Have mercy!" Hiashi gathered chakra into his hand, "There is no mercy for the weak." He replied, "If you had only been more useful, you would have been sent away to become the wife of a powerful lord or possibly even here in the clan, but you are too weak, too ugly to be of any worth to us. I see now that you need to be sealed and killed, for the good of the clan. Neji, once I have finished, end her life."

Neji smirked down at her, "With pleasure Lord Hiashi!" He cackled.

Hinata closed her eyes, praying for a quick death, when suddenly, Neji's weight was lifted. Shino helped her to her feet while Kiba punched Neji repeatedly. Once he noticed Hinata standing, he ran back to her, Akamaru at his heels. "Are you ok?" He asked, sniffing her for any blood. She nodded, hiding behind them as Neji got up to stand beside her father.

"Hiding behind these lesser people?" Hiashi asked mockingly, "That comes as no surprise, you are a pathetic weakling who runs away at any sign of peril. You hide behind others because you can't stand up for yourself, much less fight. You will die a weakling as well, so you might as well do so with whatever honor you have left."

He was right, of course. She hid behind her teammates from her family, from enemies or doubt. She was the weakest link in the entire team. Eventually they were going to get tired of her and hate her. She'll have to quit and be forced into a marriage with a diplomat after she was given the branch seal. She was going to be forgotten and no one would ever hear from her again. Maybe that was for the best...

"Fuck you!" Kiba roared. Hinata flinched at the volume and turned to Kiba who stood defiant against her father as he grasped her hand, "Hinata is the sweetest person I've ever met and we're lucky to have her on this team! She's strong and she's brave and you're a huge jackass for saying otherwise!"

"Kiba is right." Shino grabbed Hinata's hand as well, "Hinata may not be what the Hyuga expect to be strong, but she is powerful and will easily surpass you all. Hinata is indomitable."

Hinata's tears flowed once more, as she listened to the nice things her teammates said about her. She had never felt this love before from anyone besides Ko and her mother, who was now since deceased. She didn't think she was capable of praise, of love and affection, and yet, here these two were, saying she was brave and strong and powerful. And now, holding their hands, she truly was.

She stepped forward then puffing her chest and taking in a deep breath, "I no longer serve the Hyuga in heart or spirit." She proclaimed, "My loyalty is to my team and I am going to abolish the curse seal and free the Hyuga of hate and oppression! I'm going to become stronger than you could ever imagine! I am no longer weak!" With a blinding light they disappeared, gone from their sight.

Hinata began to cry, wailing as the relief and heartbreak took its toll. She curled into a ball, seemingly forgetting Kiba and Shino fo the moment. She felt so much sadness and pressure, regardless of the lifted weight from her shoulders. She knew this was going to take a while, but she didn't realize how bad she was still going to feel in spite of it. She was sure that with enough time, the pain would go away, but for now…

Hinata took out a kunai and aimed it over her wrist, ready to cut. Two set of hands gently stopped her, "No more," Kiba begged, "Please Hinata, don't hurt yourself anymore." Shino surprised everyone, even himself, when he kneeled down and drew her into a hug. Hinata was frozen before she started to cry again. Kiba immediately dropped down and joined in the hug as well, burrowing his face into their jackets.

It was something they all needed at that moment, to feel the comfort they so desperately craved, to feel love and hope. Shino knew that he was no longer a hollow shell in his mind and that he was capable of giving and receiving love. Kiba knew that he wasn't at fault for anything his sister did and that he had his own family who loved him here. Hinata knew that she was strong in her own way, and that her weakness was only temporary.

It was a cruel and twisted way of finding out, but in a strange, broken way, they accepted it and they were grateful. They knew they shouldn't be, but they were.

Kurenai sighed in relief and began to cry herself, hating the process in which she had to break and grow her students. There were obviously, safer and more practical ways to have done this, but considering the social statuses of each clan heir, she knew that it wouldn't work as well as she would hope, if at all. Imagine the scandal of three cases of abuse within three highly regarded clans. The media would have a field day and Kurenai knew that would hurt her students more for having spoken out.

With having seen their struggles, their victories and their newfound bond, Kurenai decided that it was time to end the genjutsu and have them prepare for the trip back home.

* * *

"Thank you for everything Asuka," Kurenai bowed lowly, "We are grateful for your help and teachings." Asuka smiled fondly at Team Eight who were all beaming brightly back at him. They looked better for the most part, obviously there were issues to be worked on, but he knew deep in his heart that they would come out stronger.

"We are fortunate to have such wonderful shinobi grace us with their eager minds and burning wills of fire." He complimented, "One day, you should come back to visit us. There is much to earn here if you ever have the opportunity, and we would all love to see you again. Until then, there are some items in your traveling packs that may be of use to you. Think of them as a goodbye gift from a friend." He bowed his head, a warm look in his eyes.

With one more bow, Team Eight was off. They waved their goodbyes and continued out of the compound, back into the forest of the Land of Fire.

The walk was seemingly shorter this time around, something that bothered the three students immensely; they weren't quite ready to go back home yet, and so clung tighter together as they walked, whispering and holding hands.

Kurenai worried that they would break down when they would arrive at the gates, or possibly even before that. She often looked back at her students with worry and made sure to talk with them during each break and before bed. They didn't say much to her, giving non verbal or shortened replies, which only worried her more. She wondered if they hated her, if they resented her for throwing them all into their worst nightmares and displaying their problems for the other's to see. She knew it was wrong, and she regretted it with her whole being.

She just wanted them to become stronger and face their fears with the support of the other two behind them. She wanted them to realize how much they needed each other now that they were a team. Their ninja career, their personal matters, their whole lives would entwine one way or another, and if they hadn't known about the struggles that the others were growing up with, how would they be able to fix what has been broken for many more years than they were already?

She hated herself for this.

Before the last day of their trip, Kurenai decided to stop torturing herself and ask them, what was going on in their heads. She set up camp earlier that night and waited until everyone was seated at the fire before she spoke, "I know that these past few days have not been the best for you," Her voice was shaking as she went on, "But I want you to know that I am to blame for that, and I won't say otherwise. I've hurt you a lot since we've been a team, probably more than I've helped you. I don't mean to.

"Before any of this, I was ANBU. I didn't have experience in teaching children and I probably shouldn't be teaching you, considering all I've done. I've terrified you, forced you to fight, forced you to face your demons so early, I've invaded your privacy, and I've broken you all many times in an effort to have you 'grow' into stronger shinobi. What I did was wrong and I didn't know what I was doing."

Kurenai wiped the stray tears from her face, ashamed and appalled at herself for what she had done. She really didn't know what else to do, and she blamed herself for it all. She could have gotten help from licenced therapists or gotten in contact with child services, but she didn't. She couldn't bear the thought of hurting them any longer this way. She wanted them to be happy and grow without having to be broken like everyone else. She wished they didn't have a 'tragic backstory' and had loving families but there was nothing to do about that now. She had already hurt them.

Kurenai bowed lowly before her students, crying and shaking from self hatred and regret, "Please forgive me." She begged, "Though I have not even begun to deserve such a thing, please, forgive me. I am so sorry."

Team Eight looked at each other with worry, unsure of what to do.

While Kurenai did have the best intentions for them, they knew that what she did wasn't right. They had talked amongst themselves for a while, questioning whether or not this trip was really worth everything they had been through. They were manipulated, lied to, and hurt in many ways other than physical. She had done numerous awful things to them in an attempt to make them stronger.

Despite that, she had the best intentions. She wanted them to bond and learn that their abuse was only temporary, that it was something they really could grow from. While it didn't make anything right, they decided that they wouldn't hate her for it.

"While you did hurt us, we came to the conclusions that we will forgive you." Shino said, "But from now on, things have to change. No more lying and manipulating. No more forcing us to do what you want. Please, no more." Kurenai nodded, still bowed. She knew that she would never forgive herself for any of this.

Hinata was the first to approach her, gently lifting her and giving her a hug, which she returned with a tight squeeze. Kiba approached her as well, placing Akamaru in her lap and hugging her. Shino took his time gathering his resolve, but eventually came over for a hug, trying to relax from this new form of affection.

They all sat there under the stars, hugging and apologizing and forgiving.

* * *

The gates stood proudly in the afternoon sun. Team Eight didn't feel the initial dread they were expecting. At this point, they all just wanted to get on with their lives and prepare for training the next day. They greeted the guards and headed for the Hokage's office. Nothing about the village really seemed to change physically; everything looked the same but felt different, very different. Team Eight looked at each other and knew that everything was going to be different now that they were home.

Sarutobi was excited to see his young ninja walk into his office, leaning forward in his seat as they entered. He looked over each student and noticed a more mature, as well as depressed air surrounding them. He looked to Kurenai who looked equally upset as well and frowned in worry.

"Hello Team Eight," He greeted, "I hope everything went well during your mission?" Kurenai nodded, "Everything that needed to be done has been accomplished, Lord Hokage." She stepped forward with her report and nodded to him, a silent, 'I'll tell you later,' in her eyes.

Sarutobi nodded and smiled once more, "I'm happy to see you all back safe and sound." He said to the genin, "I know that right now may not be a favorable time, but I hope one day you'll understand and forgive your sensei, as well as myself. You three are free to go wherever you would like. You shall be paid for your mission by tomorrow morning." It was as if they couldn't get out fast enough without running. Both Kurenai and the Hokage watched as the door slammed closed behind them.

Sarutobi sighed and grabbed a bottle of sake from one of his cabinets, pouring two glasses for himself and Kurenai, "Tell me all about it." He gently said, watching as Kurenai's eyes watered with tears.

* * *

Shino was extremely reluctant to leave his teammates, shifting on his feet anxiously. He didn't want to go home, but neither did he want Hinata and Kiba to go home. He was at a loss of what to do. Hinata seemed to have noticed this and smiled, gently laying her hand on his shoulder, "It's alright Shino," She quietly comforted, "I'll be ok, and we'll see each other tomorrow right?" Kiba looked over and grinned, "Yeah!" He cut in, "Maybe after training we could go get something to eat."

Shino relaxed a bit, seeing the reassuring smiles on his friend's faces, "How about we go out to eat right now?" He asked carefully, gauging their reactions, "My treat." Hinata smiled widely and looked to Kiba who was already walking towards the center of the village, "Come on slow pokes," He called, "Let's go find something to chow on before it gets too late!"

Shino sighed, "Remember to be kind to my wallet, Kiba," He called as he and Hinata followed him into a bbq joint, "I cannot afford to spend money on your ravenous appetite." Kiba waved him off and sat in a booth, "Maybe we could sell that stick up your ass for a good price, then you might have enough." He grinned at the hidden smile he manage to catch from Shino. He didn't realize how much he needed this type of friendship. It was so comfortable and open and sarcastic, unlike all the other flimsy, more polite friendships he had in the academy.

"If we're to sell anything, it would be you." Shino teasingly bit back, "I'm sure the market is open for some sort of annoying dog-child who could eat his weight in kibbles and treats."

Hinata giggled at the pout Kiba gave and said, "Perhaps we could sell the both of you. I'm sure you both would make an excellent comedy bit for a circus of some sort." Her giggles grew to laughter at the sour looks they both gave her.

* * *

After their lunch they all walked each other home, Hinata being the first to go since her home was closer. Kiba hugged her as tight as he could and whispered encouragement into her ears, which she blushed at. Shino held her hands tightly, not needing to speak as she already knew his intentions. She nodded in return and waved them goodbye before turning the corner and walking into her home, glancing back at her team who watched her go.

Hinata took a deep breath and entered the compound, ignoring the bitter glares the guards gave her. She took off her shoes and walked further in, heading straight for her father's office. Her fear began to overwhelm her as she continued, crawling from the corners of her mind. She wasn't sure she could do this yet. No, not yet.

A sudden chill ran down her arm. No, it wasn't a chill. It's running around her palm. Hinata opened her hand to see a black bug running around, creating a heart pattern. She smiled and immediately knew it was one of Shino's, giving her signals that he was supporting her.

She watched as the bug traveled her arm and into her pocket, popping in and out. She reached inside and pulled out a leather bracelet with a wooden dog carving hanging from it. It seems that Kiba was with her too. She hurriedly tied the bracelet around her wrist and continued on, newfound confidence in her step.

Hinata knocked on her father's door, waiting for his command to enter. "Come in." He called. Hinata entered and bowed, holding her hands behind her back to fidget with the bracelet in secret. Hiashi glanced up at his daughter briefly, continuing his writing, "I see you've made it back." He commented, almost as if he were disappointed. Hinata bit the inside of her cheek at the tone but forced herself to answer, "Yes, father. My mission was a success."

Hiashi rolled his eyes, "Let's hope this is something you can maintain, Hinata." He drawled, "I know it's something meaningful to you now, considering it's your first actual accomplishment in anything other than being a disappointment." Hinata bit her cheek again, closing her eyes and taking a breath. "Yes father," She replied, "I'm going to my room now, if there's nothing further. Good afternoon."

Hiashi looked up in surprise, but she was already gone. It was the first time she had dismissed herself without waiting for him to say anything more. He was almost impressed, but decided to ignore it. He had no time to focus on her at the moment.

Hinata smiled and patted herself on the back at her braveness. She managed to get through the meeting without stuttering or crying and she didn't look down once! A big milestone so far.

A shadow followed her in the hallways, stalking her from a distance and seemingly making its way closer behind her. Hinata knew he was there. He must be excited to see her since she had been gone for weeks. Her eyes twitched.

Neji had been growing anxious since Hinata had been gone, unable to lash out his hatred and anger properly during training or at home. He counted the days Hinata had been gone and was beginning to go mad with his repressed frustration. When he saw her exit her father's study, he knew he only had a matter of time to get her before she went to her room or before a witness would appear. He had to make this count.

He swung his fist, aiming for Hinata's head. It was aimed perfectly and since she wasn't reacting, that meant she was either accepting or unaware of the assault. It didn't matter to him, he just wanted to see her cry.

He gasped in surprise when his fist never landed, only meeting air. Hinata had ducked? She never made an attempt to avoid his attacks before. He saw her leap from her crouch and run, turning the hallway as fast as she could. Neji growled before running after her, insistent on beating her.

Hinata knew that Neji was faster than she was, but if she could just avoid him for long enough, maybe she could make it to her room safely. She looked over her shoulder briefly to catch sight of Neji, unfortunately running into another branch member who was walking around the corner. She looked up and glared at the Hyuga Heiress, biting her tongue from saying anything rude or hateful.

Hinata looked over her shoulder again and noticed Neji walking towards her with a purpose, eyes blazing. The branch member noticed too and immediately got up, walking away as quickly as possible with a scowl thrown over her shoulder at Hinata. Hinata stared after her, disbelieving that she would really allow her to be beaten.

She then turned to Neji, who roughly pulled her up to stand. She met his smirk with a determined frown. She was not going to cry.

Hinata nursed her bruises after her hot bath, willing her muscles and aching limbs to relax as she rubbed her new medical ointments all over. She was covered in bruises, but she refused to cry. Neji eventually left her alone when he had gotten his fill, somewhat disappointed but still feeling lighter. She managed to stand and drag herself into her room.

She checked her packs for the gifts Asuka mentioned and was delighted to find medical herbs, medical guides and a large set of fighting scrolls, ten in total. She looked them over and noticed that they were nothing like the Hyuga's Gentle Fist. This would allow her flexibility to be of actual use and incorporated many stances instead of one, making it perfect for facing different opponents.

She opened her window and placed two small, wrapped gifts on the sill. She whispered to her little bug and watched as it flew away, carrying one gift with it. Hinata smiled and sat on her bed, continuing to heal and read.

* * *

Kiba smiled as he waved goodbye to Shino, sighing to himself as he approached the steps of his home. He knew he would have to face this eventually.

He opened the door and was greeted with howls from throughout the house, Akamaru even howled back at them, something he hadn't done for a long time. Kiba scratched him behind his ear and smiled, "Good boy." He praised, earning a happy wiggle and a yip. After kicking off his shoes, Kiba walked further into the house and headed for the kitchen to greet his mother.

Tsume turned in surprise when Kiba entered. Usually he would try to sneak past her and up the stairs; this was the first time he ever approached her willingly. He smelled different too…

"Hey mom," He greeted, "Thought I would let you know that my mission went well. What's for dinner?" Tsume stared at him for a moment at the question before answering, "Beef stew. Your sister is taking a nap in her room, so I want you to wake her for dinner when it's ready." Kiba nodded and handed her a carrot she was struggling to reach without moving away from the pot.

Kiba wasn't really in the mood to argue, considering that he had just gotten home. In some ways he missed his mother. When Hana wasn't around, she was nicer, more gentle with him. He supposed that was because of how similar he looked to his father, who he guessed she still missed despite his running away. Part of him liked the attention but he knew that it wasn't completely real or meaningful.

As he trotted upstairs, Kiba noticed a tickle behind his ear and went to scratch it. The itch ran down his neck and shoulder to his arm. He looked and saw a familiar-looking beetle running around his hand, flapping its wings every so often. It was Shino's bug.

Kiba felt touched that Shino would bug him to make sure he was ok. It almost bothered him that it would be crawling around him for, probably, the rest of his life, but he knew it was Shino's way of showing concern and care for his team, so he pushed away his disgust and continued up the stairs.

He opened the door to his room, seeing Hana lounging on his bed and balancing a kunai knife on her palm. Damn it. She looked up and smirked, "Haven't you heard of knocking?" She taunted, sitting up as he entered. Kiba brushed past her and began to unpack, "Should I start knocking on my own door now?" He retorted, throwing his dirty clothes in the laundry basket.

Hana pretended to think a moment, "Now that you mention it," She went on, "It might be for the best. You never know when I'm going to be in here and it's only right seeing as how this will eventually be my house." Kiba secretly rolled his eyes, "When that happens I'll be old enough to move out, so you won't have to worry about that."

The silence was suddenly thick. Hana stared at him from her spot as the realization hit. Kiba would grow up and move out soon. He would become an adult and live his own life somewhere else outside of the house. "Well," She tried to recover, "You probably can't stay in the compound if you leave the house." Kiba simply nodded, saying nothing.

Hana always hated when he didn't answer her. She couldn't hurt him if he ignored her, and it would get worse if he left. She felt her teeth clench as he continued on with his unpacking, pretending nothing was wrong.

Inside Kiba's head, he was hoping she would leave, hoping that she would get up and walk away out of frustration. He knew that she hated being ignored, but so far it was his best defence, and half the time it made her leave.

A kick to his back sent him into the closet door, hitting his head on the corner. He grunted in pain and attempted to stand before another kick landed and sent him to the floor. Immediately, Kiba grabbed Akamaru and shielded him with his body as multiple blows landed on his person. Hana realized what he was doing and attempted to flip him over to grab Akamaru from his arms.

Akamaru began crying and yelping, sending Kiba into a panic. He didn't dare fight back, knowing that it only angered Hana further. If Hana managed to get her hands on Akamaru, there was no telling how far she would go in order to hurt Kiba. He had to do something before it was too late. An idea popped into his head and he nearly sighed in regret. He would have to do something he hadn't done in years.

Kiba drew a deep breath and bellowed, "Mom!" Hana, not expecting the yelling, jumped back in surprise. The house was silent for that one moment. Everything was completely still. Kiba began to call out before Hana had a chance to recover, "Mom! Mom I need you!" A creak on the stairs indicated that Tsume was coming up. Hana looked to the door and then to Kiba in a slight panic.

Tsume walked in, sharp eyes scanning the room. Kiba was curled on the floor with Hana just behind him, hands behind her back innocently. Tsume's nose caught the scent of blood before her eyes could see it, and she noticed that Kiba was bleeding from his head and had scratches all over his arms. She looked to Hana who stared back boldly, as if daring her to say anything. Tsume sighed and rubbed her eyes. She was getting too old for this shit.

"Hana," She snapped, "Go downstairs and help me with dinner since you're awake." Hana looked like she was about to protest when a sharp look from Tsume shut her up. Hana scowled and walked to the door, "accidently" tripping over Kiba on the way out.

After her daughter was out of sight, Tsume looked to Kiba on the floor, his tears and blood mixing together on his face. He looked at Tsume pleadingly. She hardened her heart and turned away from him, "First Aid is in the bathroom. Stop pissing off Hana." And then she left.

Kiba struggled to lift himself off the floor. The room spun and blurred into shapes and colors. He felt sick from his stomach, concluding his guess of having a concussion from the first hit. Akamaru whimpered and licked his face, drawing a smile from the boy. "It's alright Akamaru," He soothed, "I just need some healing stuff and then we can get ready for bed. I don't think dinner is a good idea right now."

After denying dinner and wrapping his wounds, Kiba looked through his pack for the gifts he was told about. He pulled out a seal, looking it over and reading the note attached, "For protection" it read. He looked at the door of his bedroom and gently placed it, feeling a shift in chakra. He smiled at the barrier seal and continued on with the second gift.

The next gift was a set of rather large scrolls, six in total; two of them were maps and constellations, two were diagrams of his beast form and the last two were advanced Inuzuka moves that have been long forgotten. Kiba felt his head spin with delight as he looked them over. He figured Hinata would have to help him read the astronomical maps, but that was about it.

A chirp by his window caught his attention. He heard the bug fly away before he noticed the small box sitting on his window, connected to a little string. He opened it and marveled at the two black opals sitting inside. He had never seen anything like these before, at least, not up close. The Inuzuka were not a gaudy, lavish clan who were interested in baubles or jewels, but this was something different. This was a gift from his friend; one for him and the other for Akamaru.

Kiba held the box close to his chest, jumping on his bed as he grabbed two of his best leather strings from his nightstand to tie around the pretty stones. And later when he was sleeping, he would hear his sister curse as she tried to get into his room, and smile.

* * *

Shino felt empty once more when he approached the steps to his home. He worried over Hinata and Kiba and dreaded himself his own return to his home. If anything, Shino just hoped that everything would go smoothly. No questions, no poking and prodding and definitely no emotion.

With a deep breath, he entered the compound, listening to the bugs chatter his arrival in one great sweep. His mother was coming down the stairs and his father down the hall, neither in a rush to greet him or welcome him home. Shino should have expected it by now but found that it still hurt.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and was surprised to find a leather string of some sort inside. Following the string, he found a carved trinket tied onto it. Shino quickened the investigation of his fingers, finding the carving to be of a small dog of some sort. He forced away the urge to smile. Leave it to Kiba to sneak something so sentimental into his coat.

He was glad that his parents could not read his face at the moment, and bowed to them as they approached, "Hello mother, father." He greeted, "My mission was a success and I have returned with no injuries." 'Physical, that is.' He finished in his head.

Both parents were pleased, or at least as close as an Aburame could get to seeming pleased, but something else was off. Shibi was studying him too long, and Sana stared as if she saw something different about him. Shino resisted the urge to shift nervously on his feet, his hidden eyes shifting back and forth between his parents as he wondered what they were looking at that was making him stand out to them more than usual.

"Wash up for dinner, Shino." His father said, turning on his heel and walking off. Sana followed behind him, not sparing her son a second glance.

Shino, having expected the dismissal, walked up the stairs to his room and unpacked. He glanced at the gifts that he had received, both wrapped and tied with paper and ribbons. They were colorful, maybe a bit too colorful for his liking, and larger than he had expected. He wondered what they contained, what wonderful secrets they held. He felt himself get giddy at the thought and allowed himself a smile.

"Shino, come eat dinner." His mother's knocking startled him out of his excitement.

Shino sighed, experiencing impatience for the first time. He wanted to open his gifts now, but relented to eating dinner; the mystery could wait.

Shino approached the table and sat across his parents, who were still staring at him, shaded eyes watching his every move. Shino tried to go about as naturally as possible, forcing his nervousness to the back of his head. Under the table, he fiddled with the bracelet in his pocket to calm his nerves.

"Shino," Shibi called, "What happened during your mission?" Shino forced himself to finish chewing his food before answering. He knew this was coming. It was always the same questions after his missions. He assumed it was because he was becoming closer to his team, finding joy and happiness with his newfound friends. It was beginning to show, it seemed.

"Although some of the events are labeled as classified, I can relay that we were invited to clean and maintain the Fire Temples south of the village." He didn't say anything more, and it seemed that Shibi was fine with the answer. "What of your teammates?" He suddenly asked, "How are you getting along with them?"

Shino had to think more carefully about the answer. If he said something too out of the ordinary, he could be in trouble. "My team and I are compatible. We have formed an understanding, as it were." He watched as his father's face changed, only very slightly. He didn't seem pleased. "Is that so?" Shibi almost challenged. Shino didn't trust himself to answer, so he nodded as he took a bite.

Sana was up next for the line of questioning, "Do you feel anything towards them, Shino?" She decided to take the more direct approach. While it was more obvious what they were doing, the way she asked her question made it more difficult to find an answer that was appropriate by their standards. Shino hoped they wouldn't see him sweat.

"I feel responsible for my own actions, as well as leading the team in an effort to accomplish as many successes as possible within our early careers." He hoped he hadn't answered incorrectly. Sana seemed taken aback at the response, turning to Shibi who was nearly frowning as he thought. Shino knew that look; it was his, 'reading between the lines' look.

Shino ignored it and continued eating, waiting for Shibi to say anything.

"We wish that you hold yourself with more discipline, Shino." His father said, "Creating bonds with them can only lead to trouble and distraction. As an Aburame, you have a reputation to uphold as being the most dedicated shinobi to the Leaf and only the Leaf.

"We do not waste out time with petty relationships or petty feelings such as anger, sadness, jealousy, or even love. We are not like these other people here, animals in their own right. We are insects. We do what is best for our colony, our hive and only that. Why, I would say we are hardly human, if at all." Shino felt his breath stop for a moment at the sentence.

He wanted to scream suddenly. He wanted to declare his independence from this clan and proclaim his feelings, his rights as a human, but he knew better than that. Any sign of 'failure' and he would be shipped off to ROOT just like Torune, who sacrificed his life for Shino to live free. As much as Shino missed his big brother, he would not let his sacrifice be in vain. So he sucked it up and bit back a scream with a polite, "Yes father. As you wish."

Shibi, finally satisfied, nodded and continued his meal, unaware of the inner turmoil Shino faced within. This was torture.

Finally, after one of the longest meals Shino has ever had, he cleaned up and excused himself to his room, shutting the door as politely as possible. He leaned against the wood and sighed, fingering the bracelet in his pocket. Here, in this small space, he was free. Here, with no eyes watching him, he was allowed to breathe and feel. He had never felt so lonely then, without the comfort of his friends or even his sensei. He felt isolated, trapped and empty within his own body.

He looked at the gifts still perfectly wrapped on his bed and temporarily forgot the pain, opting to focus on the bright colors and good memories. He sat on his bed, carefully unwrapping the paper as to not rip it. Every layer peeled back was enticing him more and more but he controlled himself this one time so as to not ruin the excitement building in his stomach.

The first gift was a box of new larva he had never seen before. Shino's eyes widened as he watched each little creature crawl around in its own container, wriggling and squirming under his gaze. With it, one large scroll giving an avid description and explanation of the insects. He felt his chest ache from the harsh pounding of his heart and breathed a little heavier at the thought of the different species he could breed and create.

He looked at the other seven scrolls he received and saw they were seals for his new ability. He was sure that Hinata could aide him with this new set and grinned at the idea of furthering himself along with his team.

Putting the first gift aside for now, he began to unwrap the second gift, trying equally hard to be careful to not rip the paper. He was a bit disappointed to see it was a blanket. He opened it completely shaking it out and inspecting it carefully. He noticed the wonderful thread work and sewing put into it, as if it took decades of learning to reach such perfection.

He noticed a pattern secretly stitched on the inside and held it closer to see what it was: a large spider with a rabbit and a wolf underneath it.

Shino was suddenly breathless as he looked over the design once more. His Kikaichu crawled all over the fabric, inspecting and feeling the gift. Shino called them back, as they were all beginning to immerse it in their numbers. He held it close and rubbed his face against the softness, nearly purring in delight. He noticed something then; a familiar sense of home and love. It was covered in their chakra, Kiba and Hinata's that is. A tear slipped down his face and suddenly he felt a little less lonely.

A chirp at his window pulled his attention to the beetle he had assigned to Hinata. It circled at small box with a string tying it closed before opening its wings and flying away, back to the Hyuga compound. Shino nearly tripped over himself to open the box, marveling at the beautiful black opal inside. He knew this was from Hinata, as no one else would be as so kind and wealthy to give a beautiful stone away so freely. He pulled the bracelet from his pocket and smiled, getting to work on combining the gifts as he wrapped himself in the blanket.


	10. Chapter 10

**I apologize for the wait! Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of its other name rights. Happy Reading!**

* * *

Hinata frowned in thought as she carefully placed her ancient scrolls in her bag. She made sure over and over again that they were the beginner scrolls for her newest fighting style, but somehow always doubted it, thus prompting her to check again. What was this new form of anxiety that had caused her to place and remove her scrolls over three times?

A scuttle on the back of her neck startled her out of her thoughts and brought a smile to her face aa she finally tied her bag closed before hefting it onto her shoulder.

It had been over three weeks since her mission to the fire temple, and while everything had stayed the same, Hinata herself was different. She meditated often, training her mind and her body and spirit to connect and flow. While she focused on her training and her teachings, she began to subconsciously ignore her home life.

She would report to her father by the end of the day without fail, blocking out his words of hatred and threats, with thoughts of her friends or by focusing on the beetle as it ran around her palms. He had taken notice of her blank stare and wandering thoughts but never said anything about it, something she was grateful for.

Her ability to focus was increasing, and often, she could disregard pain and continue to fight. She practiced with her team often and slowly lost the sense of pain altogether if she focused hard enough. Shino and Kiba were at awe and would practice along with her, trying to learn how she was able to manage it. She would laugh as they flinched or hissed or even cried out comically to a cut or a punch but they were slowly adjusting.

To avoid Neji, she came up with a plan. After mapping the entirety of the household, she began to chart the different routes to take from each important room to the next. She often had to change her routine in order to maximize the success rate of escape. With each new route she took, she could see his increasing frustration and decided that she was going to have to be more careful from now on.

Hinata activated her Byakugan, seeking out Neji who was somewhat patrolling the front door. It seemed he was beginning to catch on. Hinata sighed tiredly and decided to exit through the back and out of her mother's garden, an almost forbidden place to anyone but Hinata. She made her way out with her bloodline activated and hearing sharpened. Everyone seemed to steer clear of her today, something she was thankful for.

As soon as she made it outside, she ran as fast as she could through the garden and over the wall, giggling to herself for her daring escape.

* * *

Kiba tied the last kunai pouch to his leg with a grin on his face. Akamaru was practically shaking with anticipation, ready to go outside. What was missing? A flutter of wings below his ear triggered his memory. Oh right. Kiba tied his opal around his neck, doing the same for Akamaru who barked happily.

After three weeks of being home, Kiba found a new type of routine to follow, one that he made himself. He timed his morning to when Hana got up, to when she was training, to when she got home, and finally, when she was home. He made sure to stay out of the way and kept as low a profile as he was allowed. Sometimes he would make the effort to speak with his mother, helping with dinner or grabbing her something from the store when she asked, and other times he would avoid her at all costs. That usually happened if she allowed Hana to do whatever she wanted to him.

The seal definitely was for protection, as it blocked out everyone from the outside except for Kiba. He read into it, and attempted to study and learn the fundamentals of the seal, going as far as making a copy and bringing it to Hinata, who was just as lost as he was.

Hana began to throw a fit, screaming and yelling to get into his room, which upset Tsume. Kiba decided to test his luck and asked what was so important that Hana needed to be inside all the time. Tsume looked to Hana who flushed at the sudden question. When she claimed that Kiba took her ninja weapons, he would remark that Kurenai had helped him buy his own and even proved it. When she made the excuse of him being suspicious with a locked door, he countered with her being suspicious of always trying to get inside.

Having heard enough, Tsume told Hana she would get a lock for her room as well, so that Kiba could not get into her room as a countermeasure and ended the argument abruptly. He had gotten a bit roughed up, but it was worth it since he didn't have to give up his seal, thus protecting himself, Akamaru, and his room.

He was learning new ways to exit the house as well, taking to jumping out of his window, or any for that matter. He practiced running and jumping through obstacles or climbing without the use of chakra. Hinata and Shino often begged him to slow down or to teach them how he did it. Soon, they were alongside with him, maybe not as fast, but they were catching up.

Speaking of which, he heard Hana walking down the hallway, heading for the stairs. He had taken too long to get ready that morning but he was sure to be fine. He already had breakfast and he knew that his team was going out for lunch today. He was often the one to take home the leftovers so he wouldn't always have to eat dinner with Hana or Tsume.

Kiba stretched and scooped Akamaru into his arms, sliding open the window and jumping outside. He smirked to himself as he ran out of the compound and into the streets. Free at last.

* * *

Shino had been ready for about an hour now; he wanted to get an early start on his note taking for his insect colonies and how they were progressing. So far, his research was progressing very well. He studied their eating habits, their tolerances to hot and cold, their defensive strategies, their mating rituals, and he began to socialize them with his own insects for breeding purposes. In a matter of months he will have created a beautiful and powerful hybrid to assist the village. He was very proud of himself.

He sighed as he thought back on the past few weeks of being home. His parents were watching him closely, likely waiting for him to slip so they could send him off to ROOT. He took to being more quiet, more observant around them in case he said the wrong thing. They, for whatever reason, took this as a positive trait and encouraged it, going as far as to shun him even more from conversations and interactions. Shino didn't mind, as it gave him time to do whatever he liked. He also had his team and his blanket to keep him company.

Oh, how he loved that blanket. He had never felt anything so warm and welcoming. He found himself completely wrapped inside of it every morning and woke in much better moods than he would have before. Whenever he felt lonely or sad, he would lay on top of it for hours. He took great care of washing and cleaning it, taking caution in making sure the warm chakra wasn't disturbed in any way.

His parents avoided his room, deeming the area too personal for investigation or the slightest bit of approaching, meaning he didn't have to hide it somewhere and risk losing or ruining it. He did, however, keep it underneath his usual blanket and washed it specially while no one was around to see.

Shino looked outside and saw that it was time to go. He packed up his notes, grabbed his weapon pouches and left his room, taking care to firmly shut the door behind him. He noticed his mother in the hallway, walking towards him, and stopped. As best as he could, he wiped all the emotion from his face and forced his body to relax, feigning apathy.

His ability to school his face and control his voice was something he mastered beyond even jonin level. No one could ever really tell what he was thinking except his teammates, but even they struggled to discern his moods if he put all of his effort into it. He would attempt to teach Hinata and Kiba the skill, but Hinata would always blush and Kiba could never keep a straight face. Nevertheless, they were getting better.

Shino nodded to his mother, not trusting his voice at the moment. She didn't seem to mind, however, nodding in return as she passed by. Shino waited until she turned the corner at the bottom of the stairs before he moved to leave the house. He chanced a glance behind him, seeing no one, and sighed to himself as he walked out.

* * *

Kurenai arrived on the training grounds to find her team in an intense conversation over Hinata's scrolls. She smiled softly to herself as they bantered and talked in hushed tones.

Since they've returned to the village, she had been doing her best to earn their forgiveness and trust. She went as far as telling the Hokage that she was done with the secrets and plots. She was going to tell them what they had planned, right from the beginning; and she did. She told them everything. They were shocked to say the least, and while it didn't do much to earn their trust, they did open up slightly more.

She knew that the way into their group was to gain the trust of just one of them. Shino was closed off around her and Kiba would give her suspicious glances. Hinata seemed like the best option, but the boys were always guarding her, always talking with her, which gave her the opportunity to shy away from Kurenai whenever she attempted to make some sort of connection.

She was just going to have to keep trying it seemed.

Kurenai approached them with papers in her hands and a determined smile on her face. She was excited, to say the least, about this particular event. As she drew near, her students turned to her, becoming quiet. It would have hurt her feelings if she hadn't caught the smile on Hinata's face.

"Good morning my students," She greeted, "Today I happen to have a special announcement. I have recommended you all for the Chunin exams." She thrust the papers at her students, showing her elegant signature of recommendation on an otherwise, blank form. Even Shino looked surprised as they each took a paper and looked it over.

"Do you really think we're ready for this type of thing, Kurenai-sensei?" Kiba asked. He wasn't so sure at this point that they could do it and not get caught from using their abilities. If they were going to keep themselves a secret, they shouldn't be showing off their skills against other genin.

"Yes Kiba, I do." She replied, "You've all been working really hard with your training and have proven yourselves to move on further. Becoming a chunin is the next step in your career as shinobi, and will give you the opportunity for higher, more worthwhile missions; you'll even be able to lead your own teams, though, your missions shouldn't be terribly difficult." She looked them all over and saw them thinking.

They turned to each other then, seemingly communicating with no words. Hinata was unsure, Shino was skeptical and Kiba was excited. The puppy-dog look he was shooting his teammates seemed to be working as Hinata looked over to Shino with her big, innocent eyes. Shino sighed in a resigned manner, seemingly accepting the pleading looks being shot his way.

Kurenai smiled to herself and clasped her hands together, "Great," She said, "To begin training, we need to have Hinata focus on the fighting style gifted to her. Shino, you also need to focus on your combative training; you're beginning to lack in skill. Finally, Kiba, you need to practice your weapon handling. It may seem useless, but it's something you need to master in order to progress further."

She hesitated then, "I've made the decision to have you trained by some friends of mine, one of which you already know..." All of her students made a sour face, not entirely pleased with having to learn from Anko. "I know you're not very fond of her," Kurenai attempted to console, "But Anko is a very good ninja; she's one of the best in fact. She's not going to do anything traumatizing, just simple training."

The last sentence seemed to console them a bit, as they looked a bit more willing to go along with it, but they were still clearly not happy.

* * *

Anko looked down on each of her new, temporary students, a grin sliding easily on her face. She loved new recruits. Hinata almost hid behind her boys, who moved unconsciously to stand in front of her. They were a lot closer, that was obvious. Their bond was stronger, more solidified than before. Great. They were going to need each other for this type of training.

"Alright brats," She announced, "Since we're going to be training together for the next two weeks, I am going to make the executive decision to have us get to know each other better. Starting now, there's going to be no secrets, no lying and no unfamiliarity. We're going to get close as a team and as friends. Doesn't that sound fun?" She grinned too widely now, unsettling the genin before her.

She pointed at Hinata, "You there," She called cheerfully, "I understand you have some scrolls. If you let me see them, I can figure out how to train you properly." Hinata hesitated but approached Anko regardless. She pulled the scrolls from her bag and handed them over, watching Anko's face light up as she read.

"Ibiki can definitely help you with this." She said, "He's a bit tough, but I'm sure he'll be alright helping you. He's got a great eye for mistakes, so he'll correct them accordingly." She eyed Hinata carefully, noting the determined look on her face.

Hinata was willing to go along with whatever crazy scheme Anko was cooking up. She wasn't going to be the dead last in her team if she could help it, and if Kurenai sensei said that she was the best, then she was willing to give the demented woman a shot. This Ibiki couldn't be worse than her father( he was sure no one could at this point); besides, she had her teammates there to help her, after all.

"Kiba, my friend Yamato is more than happy to help you with weapon handling; and Shino, you'll be training with me." Her grin turned maniacal as she stared him down, "We're going to have lots of fun training together." Shino felt his hair stand on end. This was not going to be a fun two weeks.

* * *

Kiba glanced over to his teammates when he noticed a tall man approaching. His hair was a bit messy and his eyes were large and haunting, despite the genuine smile on his face. Kiba could tell there was something dangerous about the man, but he couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was.

"Hello there," He called, still walking over. He glanced over the genin before his eyes landed solely on Kiba, as if staring right into his soul. Kiba shifted uncomfortably, not used to such intensity. "My name is Yamato, and you must be Kiba. It's nice to meet you." Kiba looked at the hand offered to him and shook it, "Yeah," He muttered, "Same here."

Yamato smiled more and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Am I really that scary?" He joked. Anko snorted, "With that face? Totally."

Yamato glared at her in return before turning to Kiba, "I'm sure we'll get along just fine, won't we Kiba?" The young dog boy nodded in return, willing to go along with anything for the moment. Yamato continued, "Well then, we best be heading off. We have a lot to cover on our first day, and I don't want a single second wasted. Come along."

Kiba turned to wave his goodbye as he followed his temporary sensei to another area, almost sad to have to leave them. Akamaru didn't hold back his whimper as they walked off.

"So Kiba," Yamato started as they walked further away, "Tell me about yourself. What are your hopes and dreams? Do you have any hobbies? What are your favorite foods?"

Kiba hesitated. He would have thought Kurenai or Anko would have told his new teacher about him. At this point, he didn't exactly expect his information to be classified to these types, not if the Hokage trusted them enough to have them train him and his team.

"I want to be strong like my dad." Kiba hesitated. After an interested hum from Yamato, he continued, "I usually like training with my team and hunting with Akamaru. Beef jerky is our favorite food right now." He figured as he got more used to the taste of raw meat, he would crave it just as the monk would, if not more when he got older. It wasn't something he was necessarily looking forward to, but he didn't necessarily mind it either.

"I can see why you would need weapon training." Yamato commented, "If you're using your bear hands and claws, you wouldn't need a ninja tool to take down your enemies." He stopped suddenly, overlooking the new training ground in front of them. Multiple targets were scattered about. Some in the trees, in bushes, hidden in the grass and even hanging in the sky.

Kiba was a bit intimidated. He didn't realize that this training was going to take so long as to have to hit all of the targets. He wasn't sure how well he was going to do, since his aim was shaky at best. Yamato noticed his hesitation and smiled, "I wouldn't worry too much about these," He commented, "With enough practice, you'll be throwing as good as me some day."

Kiba smiled as best as he could and nodded, putting Akamaru on the ground and grabbing a kunai. Yamato seemed like a really nice guy to learn from.

* * *

Hinata sighed as she watched Kiba and Akamaru walk away. She was already missing them.

It would be strange to learn from a different teacher again, at least, one so unlike Kurenai or Sora. Ibiki sounded intimidating and like her father, unaccepting in failures. She would have to try her best not to disappoint him.

"Hyuga Hinata," A gruff voice called. She turned her head to see a tall man in plain grey clothes and a long black coat. He had two scars across his face and a sort of hat on his head with his headband displayed on the front; Hinata figured he had no hair underneath it. He was intimidating and rough around the edges, that was for sure, and Hinata found herself hesitant to approach him, much less accompany him in training.

A slight push from Shino brought her back to herself. She turned to him nervously, noting his encouraging nod. He gently ushered her away once more, smiling at her to hopefully calm her nerves. She smiled back and nodded, turning to walk away with a small wave.

Ibiki said nothing, curiously watching the exchange. He turned and walked away after nodding at Anko who licked her lips and winked at him playfully. God, she was immature.

Hinata tried not to let the silence overwhelm her, as it was heavy and awkward. She wondered if- "Hello," Ibiki grumbled out stiffly, "Tell me about yourself."

Hinata blinked a couple of times before smiling up at him in relief, "As you know, I come from the Hyuga clan," She began, "I study herbs and medical jutsu. I like sweet food and hate shellfish. I want to become strong to protect my precious people." She blushed at the thought of a certain blonde. She was hoping that becoming stronger proved she was meant to be by his side. She had to be stronger.

Ibiki nodded carefully. He knew she was "broken" and "delicate" But he wasn't going to let it stop him from teaching the way of Shinobi. He could see the Will of Fire burning brightly within her and a strength behind her small hands that could be used in great ways; she just didn't know it yet. He would show her.

"Here." He stopped suddenly and turned to Hinata who nearly ran into his back. She squeaked as she stumbled away, trying to maintain some sort of grace and dignity. "Take out your scrolls for me to read and stretch as best as you can. We're going to be training hard, and I want you to be able to perfect this." He saw her shrink a bit within herself as she pulled out the scrolls and frowned.

He carefully opened the scrolls, lightly skimming over each of them as Hinata began her stretching, thinking of what to say. "Mistakes will be made," He commented casually, secretly glancing at Hinata, who paused and turned to him, "Mistakes are what help us learn. More mistakes just means more ways to improve, and that's what we'll be doing: improving." He smirked at her, it was very small and awkward and strained, but it was genuine.

Hinata resumed her stretching with a smile on her own face. She was ready.

* * *

Shino felt alone more than ever. Why did he have to be stuck with the crazy one? This woman helped fake his sensei's death, almost stuck needles into his neck, almost had his team killed, and had him fearing for his life for the first time IN his life. That wasn't just something he could forget, at least, not easily. For an Aburame, he could definitely hold a grudge.

"Hey, Shades," Anko called out, "Let's get you ready for your training! Don't let my whole crazy, psychopathic tendencies make you back out now." She was grinning at him, "Was it because I almost killed you? Look, if it makes you feel better I knew one of your teammates was going to help you, so I wasn't REALLY trying to kill you."

Gods he wished she would shut up; she talked too much.

With a resigned sigh, Shino turned to her expectantly, waiting for whatever it was that she had planned. He was surprised to see her pulling out a bento from her coat, licking her lips and sitting in the grass to eat. She looked up at his shocked face and nearly pouted, "I haven't had breakfast yet, Brat." She hissed, "Let me eat and then I'll kick your ass into gear with training, ok?" With a hesitant nod from Shino, Anko began her meal.

She looked at Shino from the corner of her eyes, watching as he took to studying a butterfly on his finger. No doubt he just randomly called it to fly to him. Aburame's loved their bugs. She wondered briefly, what he did for fun, or what he did in general besides the whole bug thing.

"Hey, Brat," She called, "What is it that you do for fun? Like do you go out to eat? Or do you study anything other than creepy crawlies?" Shino was silent, but Anko was unusually patient today. If she stared hard enough, he would answer her.

Eventually, she got her answer, "Besides procuring, studying, breeding and caring for insects, I myself like to hike." She wasn't totally expecting that. "Why?" She bluntly asked. She swallowed another mouthful and waited again. It seemed like the brat thought a lot before he spoke; or maybe he just really liked dramatic pauses, who knows? Not her.

"Being outside, away from people, closer to nature, is soothing." Shino slowly said, as if he were thinking hard about his answer, "I, too, like the exercise it provides."

Anko hummed to herself in thought and took another bite of her food, nodding sagely.

After she was finished she got up and stretched, sighing and patting her full stomach, "That hit the spot." She grinned before giving Shino her full attention, "Aright my little butterfly-" Shino glared at the nickname "-we're going to be working really hard and I'm not stopping until sunset or maybe until you die, so you better hope an aneurysm gets you soon." She got into a fighting stance and waited until Shino was in his.

What she didn't see was his smirk of anticipation. This will be interesting.

* * *

Kiba growled to himself for the twenty-third time that day. His accuracy was so bad he was surprised that he was able to even throw the knives in the right direction. He was throwing it hard enough to stick in the wood, but always in the wrong place. This was supposed to be easy, so why wasn't he getting better? Akamaru whined and pawed at his master's leg, trying to comfort him.

Yamato, having sensed Kiba's frustration, smiled at him patiently, "Don't worry about power, Kiba," He advised, "There is a balance to weapons. While power is important, don't let it take away from the accuracy. You're already using enough power, try easing up and throwing it at the center, ok?"

Kiba rolled his eyes causing Yamato to frown. "Kiba," He began, "You cannot let your emotions get the best of you. While it's ok to be frustrated, even a little angry, you cannot let them control you. If you allow your feelings to get in the way, they will keep you in a very bad place; they will keep you from moving on and succeeding." Kiba frowned in thought, nodding to himself and Yamato.

The ANBU member smiled, relieved, "Good. Now take a deep breath and try again." Kiba took a deep breath and turned to focus on the target, imagining hitting the center. 'I can do this.' And he threw.

Akamaru began to bark in excitement, wiggling and jumping at Kiba's feet. Kiba opened his eyes and grinned, "Look sensei!" He cheered, "I hit it! Yahoo!" Sure enough, his kunai knife was in the center of the target- at least, until it drooped and fell to the ground. Kiba, having seen, groaned to himself and lowered his head, upset once more. Akamaru barked a laugh and trotted around his feet.

Yamato smiled and rubbed Kiba's head, "That was very good Kiba," He praised, "Now we just need to find the balance that will maximise your success." His eyes were shining, "Are you ready to try again?"

Kiba looked up at his teacher before turning to the targets again. "I can do this." He said, pulling out another kunai.

* * *

Hinata fell on the floor, panting. She had already lost count to how many times she's fallen flat on her face. Whatever she was doing wasn't working. No matter how hard she was trying, she couldn't get the movements right and ended up with dirt in her eyes and grass in her mouth. She was ready to give up.

Ibiki was staring down at her, waiting for her to stand up. Hinata made effort to avoid his eyes and stared at the earth beneath her. "Why are you on the ground?" He asked suddenly. Hinata flinched, "I'm sorry," She began, "I'm really trying-"

"-I didn't ask for an apology, Hinata," He interrupted gently, "I asked why you are on the ground?" Hinata thought for a second and sighed, "Because I failed to perform the kick." She muttered. Ibiki nodded slowly and bent down to her level, "So," He lightly poked her head, almost affectionately, "Let's try again."

Hinata hesitated, "But I've failed it so many times!" She protested, "I can't do it!"

Ibiki shook his head at her, "No," He began, "You cannot when you are on the ground giving up. There will be many failures in life, Hinata; do not let one discourage you from the rest. If you are failing, then something must change-" He poked her head lightly once more, "-Here-" He poked her stomach, drawing a surprised squeak, "-Here-" He placed his hand on top of hers, guiding it to the center of her chest where she felt her beating heart, "-Or here. Mind, body and spirit. One must change to be in balance."

Hinata stared back at him, a new understanding in her eyes.

Ibiki took a step back and nodded in approval, "Once more," He commanded, "Perform the Peacock Kick."

Hinata stood to her feet and faced forward with new determination. Using the examples from the scroll, she shifted into her new fighting stance and took a few steps forward. Using her natural agility, she twisted her body, exposing her back to her imaginary opponent, but turning her head to continue to face them. Her left leg lifted itself and thrust over her shoulder, 'landing a hit' on her enemy.

In her excitement of performing the move, she lost her footing and slipped, drawing a surprised laugh from herself and a chuckle from Ibiki. "Good job," He praised, "That was nearly perfect. Let's try again." Hinata grinned and shot up from the ground.

* * *

Shino grunted in pain as his punch was parried and countered. His face was then in the ground with a hand in his hair and another holding his arms in a lock. He felt his teeth grind together as he thought back on the fight, which was so perfectly planned, it should have guaranteed a win. Why weren't his strategies working?

Anko got off and grinned to herself, standing and brushing herself off, "That makes me the winner again," She sighed, "Let's go another round; you had something going there and I don't want to interrupt it." She stretched a kink in her shoulder and waited.

When Shino made no movement to stand, she frowned and kicked him over. He glared at her from his position on the floor. Anko glared back, "Look brat," She barked, "I know I'm not all sunshine and cookies like the rest of your team, but don't let that stop you from getting a proper training session in kicking ass. So tell me what's biting yours, so we can move on to more important things."

Shino slowly sat up, turning his attention to the grass as he thought. "My strategies in defeating you have no purpose." He began, "I cannot find a way to outthink you or think my way out of a predicament that you place me in. It is frustrating."

Anko rolled her eyes good-naturedly and sat down with him, chuckling to herself as she propped her arm on her knees, "Well no shit they're not working." She snorted, "You don't know my fighting style the same way you know Kiba's or Hinata's. You can't outthink everyone in a fight because a fight is unpredictable. You can argue about using Hinata's magic eye sight, but if she's not there to tell you your future, you need to figure out what to do without her.

"Fighting is about instinct, it's about feeling. You can read your opponents, sure, but a quick reaction is more likely to save your life than you would think. Don't think-" She lightly smacked his head and grinned at him, "-Feel it. Ok?"

Shino rubbed the back of his head. Feel don't think? Absurd. Why, the mere thought of it was just…

Anko snickered at his thinking face and stood up, stretching once more. "From the top, Brat," She said, sliding into her fighting stance, "And remember, don't think too hard." Shino stood from his spot on the ground and nodded, sliding into his own fighting stance across from Anko.

She moved first, going for a body shot, Shino thought to move back, but instead, parried the attack and kicked. Anko nearly stumbled back before he threw a fist and then kicked again, almost catching her off guard. She grinned now as she saw the concentration leave his furrowed brows and his body relax with his movements.

They threw punches and kicks and even added some flips for flair until Shino tripped Anko and pinned her with a chokehold, panting heavily.

"Nice job Brat," She strained to speak. Her body disappeared in a puff of smoke. Shino was then pinned the same way he had Anko, or rather, her clone. Anko laughed to herself and let him up, "That was much better!" She yelled, "That's the kind of fire I'm looking for! At this rate, you'll be one of the best to fight, maybe even better than the Uchiha! Let's go again; I'm getting all excited now!"

Shino found himself smiling as she helped him up. Maybe he could tolerate her abrasive insanity for a little while longer.

* * *

With time, Team Eight was slowly progressing. They would arrive at the training grounds in the early mornings and lightly spar with one another for about an hour, taking time to break, meditate, rehydrate, and eat breakfast together. Their senseis would all come by to seperate them for their own private training.

Kiba was on his way to mastering any throwing weapons he could buy. Hinata could perform most of the moves without looking at the scrolls, and Shino was almost as unpredictable as Anko in a fight.

Yamato, Ibiki and Anko were all slowly falling in love with their new students (platonically of course), finding themselves asking personal questions and having long conversations about everything and nothing with them. Yamato admired Kiba's spirit. Ibiki saw great potential in Hinata and Anko couldn't be more proud of Shino.

There was so much greatness in all three of them, it seemed, and the ANBU were doing their damnedest to prove it to the world.

* * *

Meanwhile; Kurenai was watching from a distance, occasionally popping in to stay connected with her students. They were slowly beginning to trust her again, and as time was passing on, they were eager to show her what they were learning. She was so painfully pleased with the progress they were making.

Seeing Hinata and Kiba with a good male figure, as well as Shino with a crazy, but mostly good, friend figure was great for their growth and development. Hinata nearly clUng to Ibiki whenever they walked anywhere together. Kiba could not leave Yamato without asking over twenty questions as he was trying to go, and Shino would wait until the very last minute to leave Anko's side.

When they returned to Kurenai, they were worn and tired but refreshed nonetheless from their training. She took her time getting to know each of them personally, studying their interests, making their favorite foods, and even getting them gifts.

When Hinata presented her with a beautiful black opal with her beautiful shy smile, she noticed the sudden openness with Shino, the mischievous grin from Kiba, and the cold nose of attention from Akamaru. She was finally forgiven. She nearly cried then and there, choosing instead to hug her team as tightly as she could.

They were almost ready.

* * *

Hinata's eyes wandered the field slowly, looking all around her and into the forest. It was much too quiet, and much too still. Her hairs stood on end and her instincts buzzed beneath her skin, warming her body with adrenaline and anticipation. She was ready.

No one was around, but she knew the rules. No activating her bloodline; not for this fight.

A flash of metal caught her eyes and Hinata danced around the incoming kunai knife thrown her way, turning gracefully in a circle. However, that was the first of many, and so Hinata found herself twisting and turning around everything thrown. She closed her eyes, focusing on the sound more than her sight.

A sound of movement had her ducking under a kick aimed right for her head. She widened her legs and lowered herself close to the ground, but had her hands positioned behind her, as if she were a bird. This was her favorite fighting stance: The Art of Phoenix.

Eyeing her opponent, Hinata began to rise, thrusting her right palm forward and hitting their chest. As they backed up, she took two steps forward, firmly planting her feet on the ground on the second step, and thrust out her left palm, now seeking to land a solid hit just above the chakra center. If she had been using chakra, she would have had a chance to shut down the entire system.

Her hand was parried away. Hinata gasped as her arm was twisted around, and moved to avoid it having it break. She once again turned her body and kicked, forcing her opponent to jump back. Hinata grinned and laughed to herself as she playfully chased after them, "Shino!" She called, "Are you ok?"

Shino was smiling back, she could tell. "That was an amazing transition." He said, lightly touching his sternum, "If you had been serious, I wouldn't have been able to recover. What was that move called?" Hinata blushed prettily, "It's called the Phoenix Double Palm." She said.

She stepped back as a shuriken was flung her way. She turned to look at Kiba with eyes unintentionally activated. He laughed as he ran up, Akamaru at his heels. "You lose Hinata." He teased, "You're eyes are on."

He stared a little bit longer, blushing slightly as her eyes stared past him, "You know, they look so pretty when they glow like that." Hinata turned red, fidgeting awkwardly at the compliment. Shino turned his head to see them better, "They look like shining opals." He nearly whispered. Hinata was cherry red now, giggling nervously and hiding behind her hands.

Kiba grinned and nudged her playfully, "You ok there, Opal?" He asked. Hinata's head shot up at the nickname and stared into Kiba's eyes. Nicknames were a sign of endearment. Kiba giving her a nickname put them on a new level in their friendship. She found herself ginning and clasped her hands together, "I'm alright, Beastie and Wolfie." She teased right back. Akamaru yipped in response.

Kiba, having caught on, found himself grinning as well, "And let's not forget our favorite Spider." He laughed, turning to Shino who tilted his head at the nickname. Hinata and Kiba watched as he mulled it over in his own head, testing out the name carefully. A decisive nod was followed by cheers and Team Eight were another step closer together than before.

* * *

Kiba frowned as he looked at the multiple weapons on the ground. "I thought I had already finished my weapons training." He nearly whined. Akamaru yipped, backing Kiba up. Yamato smiled down at him, "It's for you and your teammates." He explained, "We, as your teachers, felt that it would be beneficial for all of you to have a signature weapon, or at least to learn one specifically. Whichever weapon you show the most potential with, you shall carry around and train to use." He swept his arm behind him and watched as Team Eight moved to explore their options.

Shino carefully studied each weapon visually. Some looked uncomfortably heavy, while others looked too lightweight. His eyes finally landed on a pair of tekko kagi laying off to the side. He found them interesting to look at and walked over to pick them up.

They were not too light, but not heavy either. He slid one on and tested it, jabbing and swinging his arms quickly, listening to the sound of the blades cutting the air. He looked at the claws longer and noticed that they didn't retract, something he could try fixing later so as to not get in the way.

No one would ever expect him to have this up his sleeves, making for a great surprise to any opponents. These were it.

Kiba felt his lips twist into a thinking pout as he went over the knives and blades and other sharp weapons available to him. Nothing was painfully interesting, and he already had his claws, so nothing was really standing out for him to use.

Akamaru ran to a large metal covered weapon and began to chew on it, growling as he attempted to pick it up. Kiba walked over and picked up his dog, resting him on his head as he examined what Akamaru was bothering with. It was a Tetsubo.

He carefully picked it up, testing the weight in is hands. It was heavy, that was for sure, but he didn't mind. Carefully, he swung it around, familiarizing himself with the feeling. He felt powerful, swinging it around, thinking of different ways he could use something like this with his fighting.

Since Inuzuka primarily used their claws, there was no need for weapons, but with this, he was sure that it would be a delightful surprise. His fanged grin grew wide as he thought of the shocked faces on the people he would face with this in his hands. This was going to be fun.

Hinata looked down at the fans in longing, they were beautiful, yes, but she knew that they were an approved choice of weapons by her clan, and so it didn't feel right that she chose them. It was too predictable for her, to use something like these. She wanted something different, but subtle. Something beautiful, but not Hyuga approved.

Her eyes were suddenly trained on a beautiful curved, black handle. She followed it to see a gorgeous black umbrella with white dragons painted delicately on the ends. An umbrella?

She reached for it and was surprised by its weight. Why was it so heavy? She tapped the canopy and was shocked to feel metal. She opened it up and felt herself get giddy as she was covered from the sun. This was definitely something different than expected, and with the added length, she wouldn't have to fight short range all the time.

This was it. This was her weapon.

Yamato smiled at their choices, knowing that each of them were happy with the outcome. As each student approached he carefully looked over each weapon and nodded in approval, "All of these weapons are very useful to have." He said, "We can make adjustments to them to your liking and see if we can't have them fitted to your sizes. I know just the man to go to."

* * *

Doizaki Shota knew his way around machines better than anyone. He could fix a stove or restart a refrigerator and even rewire a house. He was revered as one of the greatest minds in the village, just below a Nara, but even the Nara could not read machines as he did. He had many customers around the village, some even from other countries.

But of all the people who walked into his shop, ninja were his favorite, as he liked to modify their weapons and make them more useful than the traditional build. He was always thinking and rethinking new things to create and new designs to try. They would always walk into his shop and tell him what they wanted differently and afterwards, they would be so pleased, his name was mentioned to other ninja. It was something he grew used to throughout the years, so it was no surprise when a jonin and three genin, each carrying their first weapon, walked into his shop.

He smiled warmly, ever the gentleman, and waved them further in, wiping his hands on his apron, "Welcome," He greeted, "What can I do for you today?" The jonin smiled and gestured to, what Shota could only assume, his students, "These three need fittings and custom-made weapons." Straight to the point it seemed.

Shota nodded and rubbed his hands together excitedly, "What have we got then?" He asked, "Who wants to go first?" The three students looked to each other silently, as if conversing in a silent language. Ninjas were mysterious like that, even the children.

Shino decided that he would go first, presenting his tekko kagi carefully for Shota to take, who did so eagerly. Shino looked on as the civilian mechanic carefully observed the weapon in his hands; he was curious to see what sort of contraptions the 'greatest mechanic in the village' could provide for him to use.

"I would like this to be discreet," Shino spoke, "Something that my enemies would not expect." Shota nodded almost distantly as he ran the plan in his head.

Suddenly, he looked up at Shino with a smile and walked to a workbench with papers and tools lying around haphazardly. He beckoned the young boy and began drawing, "What I can do with this," He began, "Is have the claws retract so that you're not needlessly cutting everything up. I could also, if you like, have the claws become replaceable so if one were to break, another would take its place."

He watched as Shino thought it over, knowing he would get the approval of the young boy. He was right; Shino was nodding.

A scruffy genin, with a white dog resting on his head, was next, holding his tetsubo tightly, as if unwilling to part with it so soon. Shota carefully took it and studied it as Kiba licked his lips nervously, "I want it to be easy to hide, too. If we can make it look more badass, that would be great; maybe we could add some spikes or something?"

Shota nodded to himself more that anything, mumbling under his breath as he turned the tetsubo over, "I know what I can do with this." He muttered, "Maybe compact it and have it extend? Yes, that'll work." He smiled at Kiba, "I won't let you down." He declared.

Satisfied, Kiba turned to Hinata who handed her umbrella over, bowing low as she presented it.

Shota smiled at the cute girl and took it, marveling it's design and weight. He noticed the metal canopy and felt his grin spread widely across his face. There was a lot he could do with something like this.

"I'm sure you want this to be subtle, yet obvious?" He asked, "A Hyuga lady is deadly, but must retain her regal stature, right?" Hinata blushed and nodded, grabbing Kiba's sleeve for support. "I can do a lot with this," He continued, "I'll have all of them done by next week. They'll be my top priority; you have my word!"

Yamato grinned, "Thank you very much," He said, "We'll be back in one week's time. Come along, students. Anko wanted to take you shopping as well."

* * *

"I understand you're only genin," Anko rambled as she walked along the streets with Kurenai to her right and Team Eight behind her, "But I have so much confidence in you to pass, that I wanted to celebrate a little early. Of course, we have to maintain our dark clothing, because we're ninja; we're not supposed to be seen. However, that doesn't mean we cant look like total badasses."

She stopped at a large store with no name, only mannequins of shinobi wear, "This is it" She announced, "Let's go inside and see what they have today!"

There were more mannequins and even more clothes on racks. Some were assembled into different outfits, while others were hung by themselves. There were dressing rooms in the back and large mirrors to see yourself all around.

Team Eight looked around curiously, sticking together. Kurenai gently grabbed Hinata's hand and pulled her along, "Let's go find something to try on, Hinata." She guided the poor girl to the female section, asking questions about size and color.

Anko grabbed Shino and Kiba, "You brats come with me," She chuckled, "I'll show you how a real shinobi should dress." Kiba and Shino glances at each other warily as Anko dragged them along into a maze of racks and clothes.

* * *

Hinata looked at herself in the mirror, unable to tear her eyes away. She didn't think the outfit would work so well or look so good, though she felt that it was a bit too much for someone as shy as her. She didn't have the confidence to wear it comfortably.

"Hinata?" Kurenai called from behind the door, "Are you alright? Do you need help?"

Hinata became mortified at the thought of Kurenai coming in to "help" and quickly responded, "No, sensei! I'm fine!"

"Well, come out! I'm dying to see how it looks!"

Hinata hesitated but exited the safety of the changing room, avoiding Kurenai's eyes as she stepped out. She looked up when she heard the gasp and saw the look of awe and adoration Kurenai was giving her, "Hinata," She grinned, "You look wonderful! I'm so glad everything fit perfectly, it's like it was made for you!" Hinata shyly smiled and looked at herself in the mirror again.

She wore a dark navy bodysuit with a white turtleneck collar and long sleeves. Her white shorts stopped mid thigh and her black stockings were worn underneath. She put on white shin guards that covered up to her knee and black shinobi sandals and special, thin fingerless gloves to handle her umbrella without hindering her gentle fist. A long, dark navy kimono top with white trimming completed the outfit.

Her hair was growing longer (Kurenai and Anko convinced her to grow it long), and so she had her bangs grow over her eyes and pinned to the sides, still covering most of her forehead and face. The two long strands on the side continued to grow and rested past her collarbone. The rest of her hair was pulled into a braided bun on the base of her neck. She hadn't ever felt so confident until she saw Kurenai's proud smile behind her in the mirror.

"Wow Hinata, you look great!"

Hinata turned to face Kiba's voice behind her and blushed lightly as she eyed his new clothes.

Kiba ditched his hood, showing off wild hair that was pushed to the right, standing up on its own. He bought a bigger, better looking black jacket, which he left open to show off his black mesh shirt with a loose-fitting, maroon tank top. He had on black pants tucked into his shinobi sandals and maroon, gauntlets on his hands, no doubt so he could safely wield his tetsubo.

Akamaru remained on his head, wearing a maroon dog-vest proudly.

Shino walked from behind him, hands in his pockets. He switched his high-collar jacket for a black, trench coat that stopped at his knees, like Hinata's kimono; his olive green shirt could be seen peeking underneath. His black shinobi pants were tucked into his shoes and wrapped with bandages at the ankles. He chose an olive green bandana with a black skull mouth as a design to cover his face, and black hand guards to use his tekko kagi without injuring himself. His signature glasses remained.

"All of you look great!" Kurenai complimented, "You truly look like shinobi now."

"And kickass ones at that!" Anko cut in, "Once we get your weapons from the shop, we'll be able to train and get you all ready to kill it in the exams!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello again everyone.**

 **Wow. Been some time eh? I'm sorry for the delay. Some things in my personal life have come into play, and while I have time to write some days, I'm usually exhausted. I'm trying my best to keep up with Killers and I want to make a good story for you all.**

 **I'm sorry that this chapter is severely late, on top of that, it's short and maybe not written as well as it could have been; but I'm so excited for the Chunin Exams and continuing of with Team Eight's journey as total badasses. This chapter may be edited to really fulfil that. In any case, I hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of its other name rights. Happy Reading!**

* * *

"Hello again!" Shota was grinning ear from ear at the young genin who had just entered his shop. His eyes roamed their clothes appraisingly, impressed with their clothing choices, as he walked around the counter to greet them. "I just finished the last weapon yesterday night. I had hundreds of ideas but these were the best ones! Come to the back so I can show you my work!"

Team Eight shared a curious look with one another before following the mechanic behind his curtain to the back room, eager to see what sort of modifications he made to their weapons.

Shota pulled three packages from a large shelf and carefully carried them to a table. Unwrapping each with care, he stepped back and beamed with pride at the looks of awe on each genin's face. He had spent a lot of time taking apart and rebuilding each weapon from scratch and he couldn't be more happy with the results as well as the eager looks he received.

As if practiced, each genin bowed lowly with their hands clasped and backs straight. "Thank you very much for your hard work." They chorused. Shota felt a blush of embarrassment from the praise and scratched his cheek nervously, "It's the least I could do," He chuckled, "Please enjoy, and don't hesitate to return for repairs or maybe even something new."

With that in mind, Hinata, Kiba and Shino grabbed their improved weapons and bowed before they left.

Once again in their own training ground, team Eight fully unwrapped their weapons and decided to practice weidling them, trying to get a refresher on their lessons.

Hinata spun her umbrella slowly, marveling at the lightweight metal and design. Shota had replaced the original steel for, thin but strong, titanium and painted each blade black, finishing the edges with silver-colored tungsten carbide. The titanium shaft was white with a dragon winding around in black. There was a hidden sword in the handle that she was able to use in case of an emergency and a sharp point on the very tip of her umbrella. There was no flaws in any of the designs.

She noticed a button on the side, unnoticeable to anyone but the wielder of the umbrella. Curiosity getting the best of her, she pushed it, yelping in surprise as the canopy shot into the air, connected to a thin, but strong, ninja wire. She pressed the button again and watched in wonder as the wire dragged the canopy back and reattached and fixed itself. Hinata laughed and pressed the button once more to begin her practice in wielding it.

Kiba marveled at his tetsubo. It was lighter than when he originally chose it, but still had some weight to it. He carefully looked it over, marvelling the design. The base color was black and the rounded spikes were red. The handle was wrapped carefully in dark grey fabric down to the hilt, which had a thick, square pommel; there was a hole in the middle of it, which the fabric was tied off.

There were two buttons at the base of the handle, nearly invisible in sight, but he could feel them as he ran his thumb over the fabric. He pushed the first one on the left, jumping in surprise as the spike suddenly extended and sharpened themselves. A savage thrill ran down his spine at the thought of using it against an enemy.

He pushed the second button and watched in wonder as the spike retreated and the tetsubo began to compact itself into a thin stick before shortening itself down to the handle. It was small enough to fit into his pocket or wear as a sort of large charm around his wrist. He pushed the button again and extended his weapon. Akamaru barked excitedly and wagged his tail. Kiba felt the same way.

Shino carefully studied his tekko kagi claws, looking for any flaw or abnormality with the material or paint. There were none, as the paint was a glossy black and grey color and the metal was smooth and straight. He noticed that there were no blades sticking out as they used to, in fact, they were nowhere to be found.

He frowned to himself for a moment before strapping them on. He carefully weaved his fingers through the fabric glove and gripped the handle, testing the weight of his new weapon. He felt ridges on what seemed to be buttons and pressed on them, startling in shock when the blades suddenly extended and then shot themselves into the ground. He stared a moment before retrieving them and clumsily putting them back in.

After a few more test runs with the weapon and Shino had it working perfectly. He smiled secretly to himself and began to swing his arms onto a tree, admiring the clean cuts in the trunk. A shiver of excitement went down his back as he stared at his bladed hands.

* * *

With every day that passed, Team Eight was slowly getting stronger, faster, more proficient with their attacks. Their team combinations were perfectly timed and executed. There was little need to speak between them all, as they could read each other's faces, could see where slack needed to be picked up and where there was too much force. Team Eight was the perfect team.

Hinata was learning to use her umbrella more efficiently, adding gravity seals while tutoring under Ibiki, who was more than pleased to see her interest in sealing despite the pain it caused within her family. While the umbrella itself was nearly weightless, it still caught and floated Hinata down if she needed, something she used quite often.

She was pleased to learn she had a Wind affinity alongside Lightning, which made using her float technique all the more easy. Ibiki had her learn plenty of jutsus and exercises that she could use as an early beginner.

With a fancy twist, Hinata finished her set of katas and looked to Ibiki, who nodded in approval. She was more than pleased with her progress.

Kiba had never been more thankful to Yamato for teaching him the correct technique to throw weapons. By applying the movements, taking weight and mass into account, he had found that he could effectively throw his tetsubo and pull it back or even bounce back. Sometimes Akamaru would even fetch it, even learning how to use it himself when he was in Kiba's clone form.

He began practicing his Earth affinity, seeing as how he was already on his way of controlling his Yang nature. Yamato did the best he could in teaching him, often using his own wood style as an example.

Kiba grinned at Akamaru who went off and caught the tetsubo midair, wagging his tail as he trotted back. He was ready for a fight.

Shino wasn't sure how to introduce the idea of using a weapon to his family yet, so he just didn't. Anko was giving him pointers on what vital areas to hit with the tekko kagi, demonstrating on clones and dummies. Shino watched with rapt attention making notes that he could have his bugs invade his enemies through the wounds. Anko grinned maliciously and laughed at the statement, nodding enthusiastically.

She was more than excited to teach the Aburame his fire affinity, seeing as how he was nervous for his hive. After plenty of reassurance, Anko convinced him to learn and he found it quite empowering. If he were to carefully breed his insects, he could make them a bit more fire resistant and maybe learn how to create acids or gasses in which ignite.

Shino jabbed the clone as quickly as he could, sending out bugs in secret as he impaled it. He felt Alive.

* * *

Kiba jumped back, away from the sharp blades aimed at his eyes. Shino persisted. They kicked and swiped at each other relentlessly, growling and snarling in each other's faces. They weren't serious, of course, but it was a habit that Kiba unintentionally made everyone develop, seeing as how they started to mimic each other.

A sudden blast of wind shot out at them, in which they were knocked over. Hinata was above suddenly. She closed her umbrella and swung as hard as she could, but she missed her three targets, kicking up dust upon impact. They were spread out and away from each other now, panting lightly and sizing each other up.

Shino dove in first, aiming for Hinata's neck. She quickly twisted and fell into the Art of Phoenix. Having seen Shino miss, Akamaru bit the back of Shino's heels, distracting him long enough for Kiba to swung his tetsubo, catching him on the chin. Shino grunted, stumbling back.

Hinata moved then, fluidly and precisely. She lunged forward and used her chakra enhanced hands to send Kiba flying into the air. She followed, twisting her body with the hits and using her leg to deliver the final blow.

Shino ran towards her, ready to slice. She turned her head slightly, catching his eyes with her own and kicked her leg back. Shino dodged and punched her ribs, causing her to slide back. With a gasp, Hinata ended up falling over, rolling to avoid Shino's blades in her chest.

Kiba and Akamaru came behind her now, swinging downwards to catch Hinata, who continued to roll herself away. She twisted her body and flipped back, hissing in pain when a kunai grazed her arm. She pulled out her umbrella once more and pointed it, ready to attack.

The wind blew quietly, pulling leaves from their branches and sending them into the battlefield that was now training grounds 8.

They had been fighting for hours now, limiting themselves to their natural abilities instead of their powered states. There had been very few chances of them being able to practice outside of the village walls, but seeing as how the Hokage still had threats to their safety, they were to be limited. They didn't mind, however. They saw it as an opportunity to work hard and build their bond even more.

Kurenai watched from the distance, eyeing their techniques carefully. She did her best to monitor their training individually, but knew her place was team building and strategies as well as survival. She was more than pleased with their progress as individuals and teammates, seeing as how they worked flawlessly with each other.

As in the loop as she was, they had their own language, it seemed, something she was still learning herself. The secret smiles or curious glances or small gestures. They didn't have to speak to communicate. No words were needed anymore, it seemed.

"That's enough," She called, "Take a few minutes break. We deserve some late lunch, don't you think?" Hinata and Shino glanced to each other and then Kiba, who seemed to mull over her words. He glanced at his teammates as well and grinned. "Sure!" He answered for all of them, "Sushi sounds pretty good." Akamaru barked happily.

"Sushi it is." Kurenai smiled, waiting for them to catch up. A shift in pressure caused her to turn, seeing an ANBU standing by her side. "Yuhi Kurenai," the genderless voice greeted robotically, "The Hokage wishes to see you in his office right away." And with that he disappeared.

Kurenai sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. Her genin said nothing, but she knew they were disappointed. She smiled sadly at them and handed them her wallet, "Lunch is still on me," She winked, "Be kind to my wallet if you can. If not today, we'll have lunch again tomorrow. See you later, and great work today." She disappeared in a flurry of rose petals.

Hinata sighed sadly. Kiba and Shino were immediately at her side and offered their support. She smiled at them and with that, they began to walk into town, chatting quietly amongst themselves under the noise of the shops.

* * *

TenTen didn't know why, but Neji suddenly stopped his brooding and stared outside in some sort of twisted excitement and rage. She glanced over and saw a fresh new genin team walking by, grinning and laughing. Nothing was really wrong with the picture, in fact they looked like they had just finished training. He stared specifically at the girl, whos head was thrown back in laughter from what her teammates were saying.

Looking closer, TenTen recognized her as another Hyuga, and her eyes confirmed it. She glanced at the girl's forehead as the wind blew back her bangs and saw that she was unmarked. She must be from the main house. She then looked to Lee who was equally worried and confused.

Neji stood suddenly and stormed out, heading for the trio with intention. Lee and TenTen were quick to follow, hoping to avoid any sort of conflict coming their way.

He had stopped outside the sushi bar they were in, glaring inside menacingly, but remaining outside. Tenten hesitated. "Neji," She called out, "Let's get going. Guy isn't going to be happy if we're late to training." He said nothing, standing still. Lee also, surprisingly, said nothing, choosing instead to watch and stare at Neji's stiff back. Finally, Neji turned, muttering under his breath as he pushed past. Lee sighed and followed, catching up and talking with him.

TenTen went to follow as well, until she sensed a dark, threatening aura behind her. She turned and saw that, while the girl was cheerfully looking at the menu, the boys were staring outside, straight at her, with heavy intentions. She glanced at the dog on the ground and found him puffed up and growling, protecting his master and his team. She shivered at their eyes on her and turned away, she didn't want to look back…

"You didn't have to do that," Hinata gently scolded, "He wouldn't have done anything with everyone watching."

"But he still chased after you, Opal." Kiba growled lowly.

"He still had intentions to hurt you, Opal." Shino hissed sharply.

Hinata smiled at her teammates lovingly, "What did I do to deserve great friends like you two?" She smiled wider as their tempers cooled and their tension relaxed. She went back to her menu, knowing they would order her favorite tea and dango.

* * *

Training was getting more and more intense. With each passing day, Team Eight were progressing greatly and becoming stronger. Their individual training was more or less complete, seeing as how the chunin exams were about to start the next day.

While life at home was constrictive and depressive, their lives outside, training together as a team was free and enlightening. They lived for each other's face, enduring harsh punishments and unkind words until the next day when they could make it out of the house and train again.

Hinata glanced up at the intrusive chakra signatures in their area, alerting her team as well. Everyone except Kurenai froze when they saw Kakashi with his team trailing him. She suddenly stood straighter and crossed her arms.

This was unusual. None of the other Rookie Nine ever came into the other's training grounds. In fact, they hardly ever interacted with each other at all. They pretty much went out of their way to stick to their respective teams and ignore each other, choosing instead to hold their secrets close and their trust closer.

Kakashi's lazy eyes glanced over Team Eight almost dismissively, but he stopped and looked again, noticing the readiness in their stances, the discipline and stiffness in their backs. These genin were tense, almost hostile even. He noticed the way they shifted closer, hands brushing against their kunai pouches to open them. Their eyes hardened and watched closely, never breaking contact.

He glanced back at his own team. Naruto stood relaxed, hands behind his head and a petulant look on his face. He was complaining about wanting to train, sneaking jealous glares at Sasuke who couldn't look more disinterested in the situation. He silently agreed with Naruto, wondering why they were wasting time here with these Nobody's instead of becoming stronger. Sakura was babbling on to Sasuke who obviously wasn't listening, occasionally yelling at naruto to shut up and going as far as to hit him on the head. They were disruptive, loud and obnoxious compared to the silent and composed Team Eight.

Kurenai smirked slightly, having some idea of his train of thought. "Team Seven," She called, "What can we do for you?" Kakashi smiled in return and rubbed the back of his neck almost sheepishly. "Good morning Kurenai," He greeted, "I was instructed to meet you here by the Hokage. Since the chunin exams are starting tomorrow, he wanted us to have a meeting; you, me and Asuma, who should be here any second now."

No sooner had he finished his sentence, did Team Ten approach. They were quieter than Team Seven, seeing as how only Ino was talking. Occasionally Asuma would respond, Choji would nod, and Shikamaru would sigh and mutter under his breath. Team Ten were known to be slackers, seeing as how Shikamaru didn't want to do anything, Choji followed his example, and Ino was more concerned about her appearance as a female, rather her prowess as a Kunoichi. Team Eight, however were hard workers, going above and beyond for approval, and Hinata didn't care about how she looked when she had two powerful teammates to keep up with. Asuma noticed the strategic stances almost immediately.

Team Eight shifted again, Shino still facing Team Seven, Kiba and Akamaru facing Team Ten and Hinata half facing both, glancing back and forth methodically. Kakashi and Asuma stared in return, sizing them up and studying carefully.

Kurenai's smirk grew as she uncrossed her arms, and placed a hand on her hip in an easy and relaxed stance. Hinata, having caught sight of the action, relaxed as well, causing Kiba, Akamaru and Shino to stand down. Asuma and Kakashi glanced back at each other and sighed. Kurenai really did get the easiest team of them all. Kurenai was grinning now, having heard the sighs she was waiting for.

"Team Eight," She called. Immediately, four pairs of eyes were on her, waiting. "I must have a word with Sarutobi and Hatake. I won't be long."

Teams Seven and Ten received no instruction, standing uselessly to the sides as their teachers walked off with Kurenai so as not to be heard.

Sakura waited until they were gone to pick a fight with Ino over Sasuke's attention, "I didn't know they let Pigs into training areas." She drawled.

Ino balled her fists up and turned pink with anger, "I'm surprised you even made it into the training grounds," She sassed back, "I thought you would get stuck trying to fit your big forehead past the trees." Immediately, they started to bicker, yelling and insulting one another like they did in school.

The teammates of both girls just ignored them, not wanting to get in the way of the fight. Naruto started to pester Sasuke, who made a snide remark, in which started more fighting in the background. Shikamaru sighed and plopped himself in the grass to sleep, Choji following suit instead to eat and watch.

Team Eight watched the catastrophe in front of them. Team Seven were hot tempered and undisciplined, while Team Ten were lazy and unmotivated. They glanced at each other before deciding to distance themselves, which did not go unnoticed by the Uchiha or Nara. They sat, one by one with their backs together, and began their meditation session.

Akamaru lay in Kiba's lap, taking a nap. Occasionally he would lay in Shino's, as the dull buzzing of insects lulled him to sleep, or he would lay with Hinata, who's scent of mint and vanilla soothed him.

Asuma and Kakashi watched carefully, seeing the distance between each teams in terms of friendship and skills. While their teams lazed about or fought, Team Eight were being productive, meditating and expanding their chakra reserves. Shikamaru and Sasuke watched, but made no intention to follow their example, being too lazy or too proud.

Kurenai waited until they were done staring, to talk, seeing as how their teams were being a general embarrassment. She almost sighed at the immaturity the girls were displaying, and the lack of interest any of the boys had. She had half a mind to scold them all about being proper ninja, but thought better of it since they were not her problem. She was proud of her team being the most dedicated and mature, and wanted to show them off a little more in front of these two men.

"Sarutobi," She frowned, "What is this meeting about?"

"My father says that something is wrong," Asuma said, lighting a cigarette. After taking a long drag, he let out a breath and continued, "He thinks there may be a plan for us to be attacked, but we don't know when; his crystal ball can only see so much. He wants us to keep an extra eye out for our teams."

Kakashi shifted a moment, mulling over the words carefully, "I wouldn't doubt it. I have the last Uchiha, a Jinchuriki and the Civilian Counselwoman's daughter. Asuma, you have the next generation Ino-Shika-Cho, And Kurenai has her own next generation of heirs. We can't afford for them to be attacked outside of the chunin exams by enemy ninja. If you spot anything suspicious, alert ANBU immediately and then each other. We can't take any chances."

Kurenai turned to the students and sighed. "I hope they're ready for this." She glanced at her own students and smiled slightly, knowing they were going to do excellent.

* * *

Hinata hesitated when they approached the academy doors. She wasn't sure she could do this. What if her father was right and she was doomed to be a failure the rest of her life? What if she had to fight Neji? She should just quit now and resign.

A hand on her shoulder startled her out of her thoughts. Kiba was looking at her in concern. "What's the matter, Opal?" He asked.

"I'm worried, Beastie." She whispered, "What if I fail?"

"If and when you fail, it is because it is your destiny." All three genin and dog turned to the haughty voice behind them. Neji was standing, arms crossed and smirking maliciously. He approached slowly, making sure to keep his eye on his cousin, who seemed to shrink under his glare. "I advise you give up now Hinata." He spat, "You're too weak and kind hearted for a shinobi lifestyle, much less the chunin exams. Give up now and save the Hyuga from your embarrassing attempts."

* * *

TenTen sighed to herself as she spotted Neji at the front. He didn't even wait for them, the jerk. She approached, noticing the genin team from before standing in front of him. Lee glanced her way, sharing the same amount of uneasiness from the situation.

TenTen wasn't sure what his problem was, but she knew that it wasn't a healthy one. Neji was going out of his way to antagonize this team, and while she knew they weren't ever going to beat them, she didn't want word getting around that her team was bullying rookies.

She walked over slowly, watching the situation carefully. She didn't want to see these rookie genin again honestly, not after what had happened last time. She was waiting for Neji to pause in his tirade before interrupting him, knowing that he would go on another for being interrupted.

She studied the girl he was yelling at. She was dressed appropriately as a kunoichi, though a little too girly for her taste. TenTen could tell she came from a family of wealth, even without looking at her pale eyes and unmarked forehead. The easy, care-free expression she wore that day, laughing with her teammates was gone and replaced with a fearful expression.

Her eyes caught movement and she noticed the girl's hand slowly moving back behind her. Another hand was holding it. She glanced up at the stranger and found it belonged to the Inuzuka, who was slowly becoming more enraged as Neji went on. His eyes grew wild and his hair was beginning to stand on end, making him look feral and dangerous.

The girl, Hinata, she figured, was now facing Neji calmly, a carefully blank expression on her face as he began to list her flaws in front of everyone, causing a cold chill to form between the small group.

This was getting bad and fast. TenTen didn't know what to do except stand there; she had never been in this type of situation before. She looked to Lee for help, who stood and stared across from him. Seeing the urgency and shock on his face, her eyes followed to see the Aburame slowly reaching for his kunai pouch and opening it.

TenTen started to really worry now. Surely the genin isn't stupid enough to try and fight Neji Hyuga, the Prodigy of the Hyuga Clan, right?

A glint of metal and a dark killing intent told her otherwise.

"Neji!" She nearly shouted. He turned to look at her, annoyed. "Let's go," She swallowed, "Please?" Neji was about to say something when he noticed the fear in her eyes. She was on the verge of begging, he realized, but what had her so shaken?

"Fine." He relented. "Let's go." He turned back to scowl at Hinata once more before walking away, Lee close behind.

TenTen sighed in relief and turned to go, but the stare of the girl stopped her in her tracks. It was as if she was looking right through her.

She turned away suddenly, allowing herself to be led away by her Inuzuka teammate. The other one, the scary one, stood still, waiting until they were alone.

TenTen wasn't going to let him intimidate her anymore, at least, not knowingly. She took a deep breath, "Hey, I'm really sorry about Neji. He just gets really…" She didn't know what to say. What could she anyway? That he was a jerk? That he had issues?

"You apologize for the actions of your teammate, but you did nothing to stop him." His tone was dark and angry, "Although you stopped him from berating Hinata further, it was only because you feared conflict."

TenTen flinched, "This is a conflict of interest as it were." She reasoned, "You don't want your team looking weak, and I don't want mine getting the wrong type of attention. But once Neji starts, it's all over; there's not much I can do to stop him."

Shino said nothing, staring past her instead. She was about to turn away when he began to speak again, "Neji speaks to Hinata like she is lower than the dirt he stands on, but Little does he know that she is strong. She may be a main branch member, and one of the weakest in the clan, but she is able to do things most cannot. She is powerful and she will have her time to prove it, especially to Neji."

He turned away suddenly, coat flying dramatically behind him in the wind. He paused, as if he forgot something. He turned his head slightly, glasses drooping low and exposing one eye that glared at her threateningly, "If Neji comes by to harass my teammate one more time," He warned, "I will personally see to it that he suffer a fate worse than that seal on his head." He smoothly readjusted his glasses and finally walked away.

TenTen quickly hurried toward her team with her head down. The sun must be getting to her; why else would her cheeks feel so hot?

* * *

Hinata and Kiba waited until Shino walked up before they continued their journey toward the building once more. Kiba smirked and bumped his shoulder against Shino's. "What was that all about?" He asked slyly. Shino shoved him off with a smirk, "I was warning TenTen to watch her teammates." His voice dropped into a harsh tone, "I don't want Neji coming around us ever again."

Kiba nodded, "Same here. That bastard deserves whatever comes his way." He turned to Hinata, who was silent the entire time, "Are you okay, Opal?" He asked gently. Hinata glanced up, eyes glowing and wondering. Shino and Kiba shared a glance at the surprised, yet happy look that she wore. Shino felt uncomfortable, when the gaze was directed solely on him, But he knew better than to ask. Knowing the possible future usually changed it, in case the subject made a big enough choice to do so.

He smiled back instead, knowing to trust Hinata and her secrets.

All three genin walked into the building with their heads held high, ready for whatever kind of hell the Chunin Exams would bring.


	12. Chapter 12

**_Italics are_ _Team Eight's Wordless Communication_**

 **Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of its other name rights. Happy Reading!**

* * *

It was strange to enter the academy again, even though it was a different building. Team Eight looked around for the staircase, only having been on the first floor.

"What floor are we supposed to go to, again?" Kiba asked nonchalantly, reaching up to give Akamaru a scratch on the ear. Hinata folded her umbrella and placed it on her back, using a seal to keep it in place, "Three," She replied.

They all started their assent, chatting quietly amongst themselves about what they were expecting. "It would be wise to keep a low profile through all of this," Shino said, "We would be attracting less attention that way if we keep to ourselves."

"But Spider," Hinata whispered, "What if we need to help someone?"

"Yeah, or if someone tries to fuck with us?" Kiba chimed in, Akamaru barking once.

"We will cross that bridge when we get there." Shino soothed easily, "But right now my priority is protecting this team." Hinata and Kiba nodded, "Same here." They agreed. Shino was pleased, "Then it's decided."

They continued to the third floor, noticing a small altercation taking place by the next set of stairs. A crowd of kids stood around what seemed to be two chunin protesting and wanting to be let inside a classroom. Hinata recognized Neji's teammates being the only two standing up to them, and sighed to herself.

Of course she didn't expect Neji to actually take an actual stand against the chunin, but she would have liked him to, if only so her team could get past and continue on their way.

She looked at the sign above their heads and frowned. She turned to Shino who turned to Kiba who turned to Hinata. "Do you see it too?" They were asking. It would be pretty embarrassing for students of a genjutsu master to not have noticed the obvious, weak genjutsu placed on the sign above their heads. Kiba's brows furrowed further and he jerked his head very subtly towards the crowd, pursing his lips and flicking his eyes to the upper right.

 _"Let's move on, but quietly."_

Hinata and Shino nodded, activating their wallflower abilities and moving unnoticed to the side, around the other participants to the other staircase.

A ray of sunshine stood in her line of vision and she felt the heat rush to her cheeks. Naruto. She didn't know he was participating too. She watched as Sasuke stood at the front, ever the bad boy in the situation, and remain collected as he taunted the Chunin. She stared at Naruto, though, who just stood back with that bright smile on his face. She had to stop in that moment, as it was too much for her to process.

Shino and Kiba turned to look at each other, unimpressed and slightly annoyed. They were well aware of Hinata's feelings for the blond idiot, and while they didn't mind personally, they thought that she could do a lot better. Not only that, she would always become distracted and spacey after an interaction with him, going as far as to faint.

Kiba sighed silently and grabbed her arm, pulling her along as she quietly sputtered apologizes. "We understand that you admire Naruto greatly," Shino said, "But you are better than to let him distract you from getting stronger." Kiba grinned at her, throwing his hands behind his head, "Yeah Opal," He chimed in, "We just don't want him getting in your way, you know? Besides, you could do a lot better."

Hinata frowned at the last comment. She could do better? What was that supposed to mean? Was Naruto not the best? Sure he was dead last, abrasive, loud, and clueless and not necessarily the brightest of the Rookie Nine, but he was kind, he was caring. Naruto always did his best despite the fact that he was always hurting. He always wore a smile on his face whatever came his way and he never complained about his setbacks. Naruto was determined, something that Hinata wanted to be and drew strength from.

She hid her face, feeling a bit ashamed and embarrassed. Shino and Kiba gave her their hands, smiling at her, and so she smiled in return at their reassurance.

They entered the correct classroom, taking note of everyone there. There weren't many people yet, so there was no immediate threat in terms of numbers, but they sense that maybe they would fair better to stick to themselves away from everyone else.

Kiba looked around and picked the spot closest to the door, but still far enough away that they wouldn't be noticed immediately. His teammates followed and sat with him, placing themselves in strategic positions so as to maximise a better chance at escaping or sensing danger. Shino had even released some bugs to roam about in the classroom; hopefully they'll have information on most, if not all of the shinobi.

Soon enough Team Ten walked in, trying to remain inconspicuous, which wasn't hard as even Ino stopped talking for this one moment. Hinata took this time to study them, drinking in their appearance for what seemed like the first time.

Ino, in Hinata's opinion, was not taking her training seriously. She wore bright purple clothes and was constantly talking, whether about her looks or her new diet, which Hinata found totally ridiculous. There was nothing wrong with taking care of how you look, or wanting to look pleasing, but there was a fine line between being conscious of your appearance, and being stupidly vain.

She usually flounced around and followed Sasuke everywhere, fighting with other girls and being a bit of a sheep. Hinata knew somewhere in the back of her mind, that Ino was not shinobi material wherever she was at.

Choji was next inside, a content look on his face as he ate. He was nice, that much Hinata could tell, but he was also a little immature. He was sensitive about his weight, hating the word "fat" or otherwise. Hinata didn't think it was that big of a deal, seeing as how his entire clan was larger than most shinobi. She didn't know anything else about him, and while she was a bit ashamed at that fact, she wouldn't let it bother her right now before they had to possibly face off in this Chunin Exam.

Shinkamaru was a tougher one. He put on this lazy facade, often whining and deeming everything too "troublesome" to deal with. He often wondered aloud as to why he decided to be a ninja in the first place, and when asked, he gave a half-assed excuse. However, Hinata could see the bright intelligence peeking out. Shikamaru was smarter than most people gave him credit for, and if he put the slightest bit more effort into anything he did, he would make an excellent shinobi. She found him staring often, eyes bright and curious. She wondered what he saw, and what he knew.

She turned away before he could catch her staring, though, he probably knew she was anyways. He was probably wondering about the sudden outfit change.

She looked around the room to the other genin. There were people from all parts of the Shinobi World here, from the Bloody Mist to the Land of Earth. Most, if not all, looked older than Hinata and her team. There were a few that were around their ages, but the rest looked to be about fifteen to sixteen years old. Hinata wasn't sure why, but she knew that it made the challenge a bit more prominent.

Having been lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the next team walk in until Ino ran past her in a flurry. Hinata turned in time to see her fling herself onto Sasuke's shoulders, running her fingers across his chest. "Sasuke!" She cooed adoringly, "I just knew you would make it. You have no idea how long I was waiting for you to show up; I've missed those good looks of yours, you know."

Sakura had a vein bulge from her forehead at the sight of her rival all over her crush, "Hey you Pig!" She shouted, comically pointing her finger, "Back off, he's mine!" The banter began once more, Ino making fun of Sakura's forehead and Sakura making fun of Ino's name. Hinata noticed Shikamaru sigh and stand to back Ino up, something she found endearing in the otherwise lazy ninja.

She knew that, as annoyed with Ino as he usually was, their bond ran deep. Shikamaru, Choji and Ino were friends since they were kids, especially since their fathers knew each other from a young age as well. They were raised together, seeing as how they would continue the Ino-Shika-Cho team tradition, so familiarity at a young age was important. Hinata was unsure of which generation they were, but she knew that it was something time-honored and important. But the fact that Team Ten became friends by choice put a smile on her face.

Both boys on each team watched as the girls were just about to rip each other to shreds until Shikamaru stepped in with a sigh, "I didn't know you guys would be here too." He grumbled, "That makes this whole test even more troublesome."

Naruto pulled a face at the comment, "Oh great," He said, "I was wondering where you guys were. Could you get Ino away from my team?"

Choji bit into another chip and shrugged, "Sorry Naruto," He muffled past the food, "But you know we can't control Ino very well. She does her own thing and we just follow." Ino turned around with a proud smirk, "Damn right." She retorted, earning another sigh from Shikamaru.

His eyes drifted to Team Eight and stared, causing Naruto to turn as well. With Naruto now quiet, everyone in the group turned to face Team Eight, who had not made any movement to greet them. "Hey Kiba," He all but shouted, "What are you doing in the corner all by yourselves?"

Kiba cursed under his breath and forced a grin on his face. He knew the role he had to play, and while it wasn't very hard, since he was usually confident(some would call it cocky), he didn't want to endanger his team; but he knew at least, that if he didn't greet them, he would earn a bit more hostility that could last later on.

Kiba stood and shoved his hands into his pockets, swaggering over to the group with a cocky smile. Hinata and Shino stood to follow his lead, not willing to let Kiba face the rest of the Rookie Nine alone. While they knew Kiba could handle himself socially, they made a more formidable team together, as well as leaving a subtle message to anyone else that with one, you get two more. They had each other's back no matter what.

"Well, well," Kiba chuckled, "Looks like the gang's all here. This makes it more interesting, wouldn't you say Shino?"

"It would seem so." Was all he said.

"Well if it isn't Dog Boy and Bug Boy," Naruto taunted, "How nice of you to join us. What's the deal? You too good to say hi or something?"

Kiba chose not to let the demeaning nickname bother him and shrugged, still grinning, "We thought it would be smarter to not attract any attention to ourselves." He tilted his chin up and flicked his eyes over his shoulder, "But since you decided to call us out and have everyone stare our way, I guess it doesn't matter anymore." Team Seven and Ten were suddenly aware of all the eyes on them now.

"Well it doesn't matter," Naruto huffed, "Because we've been training crazy hard and we're going to blow you all away." Kiba rolled his eyes, "Whatever loser," He replied, clearly uninterested, "We've been doing some actual training, so try to keep up while you still can."

Choji, who had been staring at Akamaru for some time, suddenly took a step forward, eyes burning with intent. Kiba glared at him, hands gripping his tetsubo tightly in case he did anything threatening. Shino, sensing Kiba's anxiety, stepped forward, dropping one of his bugs on the ground without anyone noticing. He stepped in front of Choji who was startled enough into stopping.

"What do you want?" He asked somewhat rudely. It wasn't that he didn't like Shino, in fact, Choji has never even talked to him. He was always sitting by himself in class and at lunch. He never spoke to anyone and he was always quiet and creepy. Choji was also aware of Shino's interest in bugs, and it was something that always freaked him out for some reason. Shino wasn't someone he wanted to mess with.

"You nearly stepped on my kikaichu beetle." Shino said, bending down to pick it up. Choji nearly flinched at his voice, having never heard it before, it was deeper than he thought.

Hinata felt her hair stand on end; someone was staring at her. She chanced a glance behind her, seeing that everyone, even Neji's team were minding their own business. Sakura and Ino were still arguing, Naruto trying to get his teammate's attention, Sasuke had his eyes closed and face scrunched in irritation. Kiba watched in amusement and Shino and Choji were still sort of staring at each other.

Brown intelligent eyes met her pearly lavender. To say she was surprised would be an understatement. Hinata wasn't sure why Shikamaru was staring, but she had to guess that he was trying to learn something.

* * *

Shikamaru couldn't help his eyes from roaming over Hinata's attire. It was so… different and unlike anything he had ever known her to be. He expected to see her in the same baggy coat and pants, but instead she looked like a ninja-geisha. He was still well aware of how young they were, I mean, he was a genius after all, but despite their young age, he had to admit, she was very pretty; and she would grow to be even more beautiful as they got older, that much he could tell.

He looked up, having been caught staring, but he didn't mind. Her confused face meant that she couldn't read what was going on in his head. He smirked slightly, watching her cheeks tint pink at the sight, and he wondered briefly wondered what a cute, smart girl like her was doing chasing a guy like Naruto. Then again, it wasn't his business anyways.

* * *

"You kids need to quiet down," A new voice teased. All Rookie Nine turned to face the young man that had approached them. He looked young, maybe still under 18, with white hair and round glasses. He walked up confidently to the front, smirking as he peered at all of the genin around him.

"Who the hell are you?" Naruto asked accusingly. The boy smirk widened, "My name is Yakushi Kabuto." He replied gracefully, "But I wouldn't waste time asking questions. Look around you; you've made quite the impression already."

True to his word, most, if not all of the other contestants were staring their way. Hinata almost flinched at the many eyes on her now, choosing instead to grip the dog charm she had tied around her wrist.

Kabuto jerks his head into the crowd, "Those guys over there," He started, "Are from Amegakure. They're a bit touchy and short-tempered. Well, then again, I suppose everyone is, because these exams are stressful, so I shouldn't expect you all to know this; you're fresh out of the academy after all. You kind of remind me of myself."

Sakura frowned in confusion, "Are you saying this isn't your first chunin exam?" she asked.

Kabuto smiled sheepishly, "Actually, this is my seventh." He chuckled.

"Really?" Shikamaru exclaimed.

Kabuto shrugged, "Well the exams take place twice a year every year. So this would be my fourth."

"You must be an expert then!" Sakura praised.

"Yeah!" Naruto followed, "You can give us all of the inside tips, too!"

Shikamaru's surprised looked turned to a frown, "Some expert," He grumbled, "He hasn't passed a single test."

Kabuto's laugh was embarrassed, "Well you know what they say," He said, scratching the back of his head, "Seventh time's the charm, right?"

Shikamaru was not amused. He sighed and stuffed his hands further into his pockets, "So, the exams really are as hard as they say. How troublesome."

"Now don't lose hope yet," The white-haired boy reassured, "I kind of like you guys, so I'll help you out this once." He reached into his pouch and pulled out a large deck of cards colored orange. He started to shuffle them, smirking once again, "These are my Shinobi-Info cards. They're chakra encoded and have information on everyone and everything I've learned in the past four years." He bent down with the deck still in his hands.

As Sasuke asked for the names and stats of Rock Lee and Gaara of The Sand, Hinata glanced at Kiba and Shino, who glanced at her too.

Hinata furrowed her brows and pouted her lip just slightly, _"I don't like this boy. Something isn't right."_

Kiba frowned in return, lips thinning, _"Me either, but there's nothing we can do about it."_ He glanced at Shino, frown easing just a touch, _"Unless you have a plan, Spider?"_

They watched as a beetle crawled down Shino's face and smiled to themselves just slightly. Shino was going to plant a beetle and wait to see what it tells him.

They began to move to the back of the group, just as Naruto gave a loud, confident roar, "My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I'm going to beat every one of you in these exams!"

Hinata couldn't help but smile at his determination. It was something she always adored. Kiba, on the other hand, was not happy with how loud and obnoxious Naruto was being. He sighed to himself and cursed under his breath as the low simmering tension in the room grew to intense at the sudden outburst.

Ino turned to Sakura angrily, yelling for her to control her teammates. Sakura, not wanting to be blamed, yelled back and began fighting with her rival.

Shikamaru groaned, "You idiot," He hissed, "Do you want to put a bigger target on our backs, or what?"

Sakura interrupted her fight with Ino to put Naruto in a headlock, tightening her grip on him as he flailed. "Naruto, you jackass!" She growled, "What the hell is wrong with you, you obnoxious little-" She stopped when she noticed all of the death glares aimed at her. Nearly every shinobi was ready to tear them to shreds in that moment, and Sakura knew it.

She laughed awkwardly, tightening her grip once more before giving everyone a scared smile, "Don't mind this idiot." She apologized, "He has a lot of deep psychological problems; there's no helping him, really. I'm so sorry for the trouble he's making."

Shino stiffened up. One of the beetles he let roam around the floors sent a certain buzz into the air that had all of the rest of his colony on high alert. They hummed within him, worried and excited and telling him to run. He grabbed Hinata and Kiba's sleeves, pulling them further back as a ninja threw kunai at Kabuto. Both stood at the ready, Hinata gripping her umbrella and Kiba pulling out his tetsubo.

Shino's hands were by his side, his tekko kagi unactivated. While he was not relaxed, he wasn't moving to defend himself, meaning that they weren't the targets. Hinata and Kiba immediately dropped their positions, but still remained wary and tense.

Another shinobi that looked like a mummy, swung his fist at Kabuto, who dodged and took a step back, smirking at the miss. Hinata breathed a sigh of relief until his glasses cracked. Kabuto was shocked as his spectacles fell apart. He tried to replaster the smirk, taking off his glasses nonchalantly, "So," He chuckled, "It was that type of attack."

"Wait a minute," Sasuke pipped up, "I saw it all from here. Kabuto dodged the attack."

Just as he finished the sentence, Kabuto stiffened, staring hard at the ninja who attacked him. He began to sway until he fell to his knees and vomited. Sakura and Naruto rushed to his side, sakura rubbing his back and Naruto ready to help him off the ground.

"Not so tough now, are you?" The mummy taunted, "That's why you're on your seventh try."

"Write this on your little cards, punk," The mummy's teammate chimed in, "The genin from the sound village will be chunin when this is over."

Kiba glanced at Shino who watched, studying the scene before him. It would seem that they would need to keep an eye on these ninjas.

* * *

A large puff of smoke from the front of the room caught everyone's attention now. As the smoke cleared, a familiar voice to Team Eight sounded loudly and harshly, "Alright you degenerates; pipe down and listen up." The smoke finally cleared and through it, Hinata couldn't help but smile.

Ibiki stood front and center in the mass of a bunch of other chunin, glaring at everyone in his line of sight. "My name is Morino Ibiki. I am your proctor and from this point on, your worst enemy. Let's begin, shall we?"

His glare intensified as he looked to the back, "But before we could do any of that," He pointed his gloved finger, "You candidates from the Sound; knock it off! Did we give you permission to fight? I bet you want to be failed before we even begin, don't you?"

The mummy shrugged his shoulders, uncaring, "Guess we're just a bit anxious, sir." He added as an afterthought.

"I don't care. I'm only going to say this once, so pay attention. There will be no fighting amongst any of you unless given direct permission from a proctor. Even so, there will be no fatal force allowed. If any of you reprobates decide that you can't follow our rules, you will be disqualified immediately. Trust me, you don't want to fuck this up while I'm around."

Ibiki goes on to having everyone line everyone up so they could take their seats. Hinata nearly fainted when she realized that she would be sitting by Naruto, who looked like he was about to pass out, himself.

She began to look around as people were taking their seats. There were chunin stationed all around the area smirking and chuckling to themselves as the scared or worried looks on everyone's faces; even Ibiki was enjoying the anxious atmosphere in the room.

His eyes suddenly caught Hinata's, who gave him a smile, ducking her head shyly as he smirked proudly and nodded back.

Sasuke, who had been watching the proctor, noticed the exchange and frowned. Did they Hyuga know this man? And if so, how? He scowled at the thought of her passing the exams because of her affiliation with the shinobi. "I guess everyone could be bought by the Hyuga." He thought bitterly.

"Alright, hurry up so we can begin." Ibiki suddenly yelled. As everyone sat, he began to write on the chalkboard behind him. "I will take no questions." He said, "So listen carefully you maggots.

"First rule: You all start with ten exams we will hand you have nine questions. One point will be deducted for every problem you get wrong." He allowed for that to sink in. "Second rule: Your team will pass or fail based on the entire scores of you and your team."

"WHAT!" Sakura said, clearly angry that she was stuck with Naruto on her team.

"Shut up!" Ibiki yelled back at her. "Third rule: If you're caught cheating, two points will be deducted. These sentinels are stationed all around you to catch any signs of cheating. Be warned, their eyes are extremely sharp. If you're caught five times, you are disqualified. So don't. You may begin."

There was a heavy, almost awkward stillness in the room before another glare from Ibiki sent everyone scrambling to start.

* * *

'Kiba, Shino, I have faith in our team."' Hinata thought to herself before lifting the exam to read the questions. 'Oh no! This type of question wasn't taught at the academy. Not even Kurenai taught us this. All of these questions are beyond any genin or chunin level knowledge.'

Hinata lifted her head to look around the classroom. The majority of the genins inside the classroom shared the same panic as she did, this also included Sakura. Naruto was especially panicking, hitting his head and pulling his hair at the complexity of the questions.

She looked at Ibiki, who intentionally avoided her gaze. He looked around to the rest of the room and stared at a genin behind her, frowning in distaste. Hinata followed his gaze and noticed that he was very obviously cheating, looking around and then looking at his neighbor's paper.

Hinata frowned and looked around until she noticed a few genins who jogged down the answers as though they had it memorized.

'Wait, what?' Hinata asked herself. She noticed that some of the other candidates were writing down answers. To others, it would look like they knew the answers by heart, but Hinata had sharper eyes than others.

One candidate was using a very light genjutsu while another was tapping his pencil in a certain way as he wrote, almost like he was sending out a code. The proctors have not begun to write names yet, so that meant that they weren't cheating. Right?

'What's the real purpose behind this exam?' She thought, 'These questions and answers are useless in actual practice, and there's no way that any average genin would know these answers.' She looked around the room again, seeing a proctor smirk at a candidate who smirked in return. 'That is no genin. He must be suppressing his chakra to make himself seem weaker.

'With a chunin in our midst, there are bound to be others. They seem to know the answers to these questions and are writing slowly enough to kill time. Something else is being tested. Ibiki sensei has taught me better than to think that this was just a simple test. He glared at someone cheating. But I understand; after all he was doing it so obviously…' Hinata's thoughts trailed off as the answer became clear now.

She had to cheat! Ibiki was helping her unintentionally by glaring at the poorly cheating candidate. It was a crucial shinobi skill to obtain information without getting caught, and here was a situation where Hinata had to do just that.

With a burst of confidence Hinata leaned her head forward and unclipped her bangs so her hair hid her face, including her eyes. As carefully as possible, she slid her hands under the table and discreetly performed the sign to activate the Byakugan.

Hinata had never cheated before, having studied meticulously in the academy and having some sort of moral code, but cheating was the point of the exam, and she intended to pass.

Hinata filled up her sheet with answers she copied off the chunin working with Ibiki, who now glanced her way. He didn't smile, but she could tell from the look in his eyes that he knew she finally figured it out.

She smiled when she noticed Akamaru on top of Kiba's head, grunting and barking the answers quietly to his master. Shino had his bugs spread out on the walls, on the ceiling and even some on the shoulders or heads of other genin. Hinata smiled wider; Team Eight was sure to pass.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed Naruto still struggling with himself. Surely, he was freaking out, as Naruto was never book savvy in the slightest. He probably didn't even know he had to cheat in the first place.

Hinata gathered all of her courage and gently cleared her throat, "Um, N-Naruto," She stuttered. The blond turned to her with panicked eyes, making her heart ache. She hated to see naruto so unsure and hopeless, it was so unlike him. "The point of the exam is to cheat," She continued shyly, "So maybe- um, you can cheat off of me if you want."

Naruto was now beaming, "Wow, really Hinata?" He asked almost too loudly. Hinata nodded, pushing her sheet towards him and ducking her head down endearingly. Naruto leaned in close, causing Hinata to inwardly panic about how close they were.

The sound of a kunai cutting through the air shook her from her thoughts as she instinctively leaned out of the way, almost bumping into the student on her left. Naruto yelped as he jumped back, avoiding what would have been a painful slice.

"You there," Ibiki called out, "That's the fifth time I've caught you cheating. You and your team are disqualified. Get out of here." It seems Ibiki finally lost his patience with this candidate.

Naruto watched in horror as the kid was dragged out of his seat, kicking and screaming whilst his teammates walked out with their heads hanging. There was a new sense of fear in his chest at the thought of cheating. If he was caught and disqualified, he would be letting his teammates down, and he would never become hokage.

"On second thought," He muttered, "I think I'll be fine, Hinata."

Hinata turned to him in surprise, "Are you sure, Naruto?" She asked. The whisker-faced boy nodded, showing off his bright smile, making Hinata dizzy with its beauty, "Yeah! I can do this myself, no problem. Believe it!"

Hinata smiled, bashful and moved, "Okay." Was all she could say.

Seeing as there was still time left, Hinata fixed her hair once again and began to meditate. She kept her chakra level low, but was directing it with her heart, sending pulses through her body with each beat. She found herself relaxing now, more confident and sure of herself now that she's passed the first test.

* * *

"Times up!" Ibiki jolted Hinata out of her thoughts, "Put down your pencils and prepare yourselves for the final question."

Everyone breathed a collective sigh. Some relieved and others anxious. Hinata could hear Kiba praising Akamaru, who yipped happily and glanced to Shino who nodded at her. She smiled, showing how happy she was to have made it this far.

"Very well." Ibiki announced, "First rule: You all have the choice of taking the final question. It your decision." A murmur of surprise rippled through the room. 'We're… free to choose?' Hinata thought, frowning in confusion.

"Now wait a minute," A harsh female voice came from the back, "What if we refuse the final question? What happens then?"

"If you refuse the final question, regardless of all your answers, you take an automatic zero; that means you fail." There was another ripple of whispers and even some shouts of indignation. "Let me finish." Ibiki glared. Everyone quieted down again, leaning forward in anticipation. "If you accept this question, and answer incorrectly, you not only fail, but you can never take the chunin exam ever again!"

"That's bullshit!" Kiba couldn't help his temper as he jumped up and shouted at Hinata's mentor. "What kind of shitty rule is that? There's a ton of people here who have taken the chunin exams multiple times."

Had it been anyone else, Ibiki would have yelled back, but he liked the Inuzuka kid and let it slide this once. He smirked and shrugged his shoulders, "Then I guess you're just unlucky. I wasn't making the rules before," He continued, "But I am now. If you don't like it, then by all means, walk away. Just try again next year." Kiba sat in a huff, crossing his arms and glaring(pouting in Hinata's opinion) at Ibiki, who laughed.

"Anyone who doesn't want to take the final question, get out of here. You're number will be recorded on the way out. People started to raise their hands, calling apologies to their team members as they walked out. Nearly half of the room left, leaving only 26 teams.

Hinata felt herself frown and looked to Ibiki, who remained emotionless. She couldn't get an accurate read on him, but she knew that he was hoping she would stay. He smirked slightly, tilting his head up in a challenge. Hinata glared back defiantly, and raised her chin to the challenge, earning a proud look in return.

"Don't underestimate me! You can act like a tough guy, you won't scare me off. I don't care if I'm a genin for the rest of my life; I'm still going to be hokage!"

"This is your last chance." Ibiki warned.

"I never go back on my word." Naruto retaliated.

Ibiki smirked at his resolve and nodded, "Then I suppose that's it. I will tell you this though: You have all passed."

There was a stunned silence until Sakura stood up, "Wait what?" She shouted, "What the hell do you mean?"

Ibiki grinned, "There was no real tenth question." He shrugged, "The 'answer' was for you to stay and bravely answer it."

"Were the other nine questions just a waste of time then?" The same rough female from the back asked.

Ibiki chuckled to himself as he began to explain the test. Hinata took the time to listen carefully and absorb all of the information he would give. As ibiki started talking more, he gave a monologue about the importance of intelligence gathering and the risks you have to take to be a ninja. He once again rounded back into explaining the 'Tenth Question' resolidifying his main point.

Hinata nodded along, taking every word in account and the lesson to heart. She was happy to have been able to pass and be able to learn once again from her sensei. She took the time to think hard on what he was saying and found a new resolve in being a chunin.

As Ibiki bid everyone a goodbye, Shino's head snapped up to the window. Hinata and Kiba looked as well, just as the window had been broken. Two kunai were thrown and hit the ceiling. As the smoke was clearing, Shino felt himself smirk as a familiar figure stood tall and strong.

"Alright you Maggots," A female's voice barked out, "You're not allowed to celebrate yet. My name is Mitarashi Anko. I'll be your proctor for the second test. Are you weaklings ready for it?" No one answered, still in shock. Anko pumped her fist into the air and grinned, "Alright then. Follow me!"

Ibiki's hand on her shoulder stopped her, "You're early. Again." He sighed. Anko gave a sheepish expression, shrugging her shoulders. She looked around the room, pleased to see the terrified and awestruck expressions. Her eyes landed on Shino and she smirked proudly. Of course her little butterfly would pass the first test. Speaking of passing…

"Wow Ibiki," She chuckled, "That's a lot more than last year's. You getting soft on me, or what?" Ibiki sniffed, "Maybe this year's candidates are tougher than they look."

Anko rolled her eyes. "Well when I'm done with them, there won't be as many. Maybe I'll take out more than half."

There was a wave of whispers until Anko slammed her hand on a desk, "Did I say you could whisper?" She yelled, "Get the fuck out of here and follow these sentinels to the next area! Anyone who isn't out in ten seconds is disqualified!" There was a rush of bodies flinging themselves to the doors, to which Anko hit the desk again, "NO RUNNING IN THIS CLASSROOM."

Team Eight decided to leave last, not wanting to shove their way out of the classroom. They watched in amusement as everyone shuffled out awkwardly, careful not to say anything to invoke Anko's wrath

* * *

Once everyone was gone, Team Eight approached both proctors. Hinata gave Ibiki a careful hug, "Thank you for the lesson, sensei." She said, Looking up to give him a bright smile. Ibiki couldn't help but smile back and hug her as well, gently wrapping his arms around her. Anko snorted at his careful hold and anxious expression, trying hard not to laugh in case she discouraged Hinata.

"Sensei," Shino greeted, drawing her attention. She looked at Shino who stared impassively back, and grinned. "Hello my little butterfly." She cooed, pinching his cheeks gently. Shino rolled his eyes and removed her hands. "I'm surprised they let you proctor this year." he asked indirectly.

Anko laughed, "I am too." She responded. She put her finger to the chin in thought and tapped it, "I think it's because of the candidates. There were a lot of applications this year and with the rookies joining in, they probably wanted capable jonin."

Ibiki nodded, "There has been some talk recently-" He stopped himself as he glanced at Team Eight, "Never mind that; that's private information. What I want you three do do now is get to the next area and prepare for the second stage. Try to conserve energy and don't waste your time. I know you'll pass without any problems."

Anko nodded, "What he said. I'll find you guys once this is over. I'm going to have a few words with Baldy here first." Ibiki glared at the nickname.

Hinata bowed and moved to depart, motioning for her boys to follow. Shino bowed to Anko and Ibiki, following close behind. Kiba grinned and bowed briefly, waving his hand in goodbye.

"Kiba," Ibiki called. The dog boy turned around promptly. "Don't think you can yell at me ever again." Ibiki warned, "That's the very last time you raise your voice at me. Understand?" Kiba visibly shrunk and left with his tail between his legs, earning laughs from his teammates and Anko.

* * *

Sasuke moved from around the corner when he heard the footsteps of Team Eight heading his way. He quickly walked outside and found his team waiting for him, "Geez Sasuke," Naruto whined, "Did you have to take so long in the bathroom? What were you admiring it or something?"

"Shut up Naruto!" Sakura's fist landed on his head with harsh strength. Naruto cradled the new bump on his head while Sasuke rolled his eyes and walked on,ignoring his teammates' bickering.

He only caught the last part of the conversation, hearing Anko promising to find Team Eight when she could. What were they planning? Better yet: what connection do Team Eight have with the two proctors of the test? From the sound of it, this was more than just a bribery. In fact they couldn't have been bribed at all. He thought back to the members, mentally listing their skills and lineage.

The Aburame were an emotionless, isolated clan, but they did so out of preference. There was no way someone as strict as the Aburame would associate themselves with Anko willingly. Maybe they would with Ibiki, but there would be no actual concrete reason.

There was the Inuzuka. They were loud and brash and odd just like Anko, but probably too much for someone like Ibiki.

Finally, there were the Hyuga. A large, prestigious clan with many connections in and outside of the shinobi world. But the Hyuga were only interested in power, people with a name. There was no way they would stoop to Anko, or even Ibiki's level of social hierarchy. And while they're not above abusing money and power for their own benefit, there was too much familiarity between the students and proctors for it to be a simple pay off

Sasuke frowned, almost scowling as he tried to figure it out. He chanced a glance over his shoulder and saw Team Eight exit the building, heading in the same direction as everyone else.

He noticed how the two boys nearly fawned over their teammate, making her laugh and subconsciously forming a protective barrier around her. She looked fragile, almost too weak for the shinobi lifestyle, made worse why the shy, meek aura she put out. If anyone were to go after her, alone, she would be powerless.

Sasuke concluded that if he wanted answers, Hyuga Hinata was the way to go.


	13. Chapter 13

**Quick A/N: I based Hinata's fighting style on two different characters from two different universes. Seeing as how she has a weapon, I decided to give her two different fighting styles to help with flow:  
The first character is Neo from RWBY. Neo uses an umbrella and is flexible and quick on her feet. Her fighting style is effective and fluid.**  
 **The second character is Ling Xiaoyu from the Tekken series. More specifically, I've been using the move set from Tekken seven and I'm trying to do a bit more research on her other moves. Linx is also flexible and fluid, usually bobbing and weaving around her opponents.**  
 **I feel that all of these characters share flexibility and fluidity in their moves and by utilizing these together, Hinata can become quite the badass.**

 **I hope this clears up any confusion now and in later chapters!**

 ** _Italics are_ _Team Eight's Wordless Communication_**

 **Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of the other name rights. Happy Reading!**

* * *

The forest area was intimidating to say the least. Everyone was hesitant to approach the gate which blocked them out, or maybe, kept things in.

All teams were separated from each other, suspiciously glancing around to the other contenders in case of a fight. Team Eight stayed in the back, away from everyone else. They noticed Team Ten doing the same thing, and weren't surprised when they saw Team Seven standing in the middle.

"Wow," Sakura said, loud enough for most to hear, "This place really give me the creeps."

Anko gave her a sadistic grin, "I would think so. This is the Forest of Death. You'll find out why soon enough."

Naruto scoffed at the answer, putting his hands on his hips and wiggling them, mocking Anko's words, "Do your worst lady, you can't scare me away."

Anko's sadistic grin turned to a cheerful smile, "Oh boy," She said, "It looks like we got a tough guy." Shino nearly flinched, having to deal with such a personality change before. Anko would become sweet as sugar when she was about to teach someone a lesson, and it looks like Naruto was going to get a thorough schooling.

Without warning, she suddenly flung a kunai knife at Naruto, the deadly accuracy giving Team Eight a sort of flashback to having met her in the first place. The knife cut Naruto's cheek and landed in the dirt behind him. Anko shushined behind him, leaning in and whispering, "What's the matter tough guy? Can't you handle this?"

Naruto was still in shock, shaking from the sudden assault. Anko leaned in and licked the blood from his cheek, "Loud mouths like you usually leave the most blood around here."

She turned then, drawing another knife out to defend herself from the attack that was coming up right behind her. A ninja from the Grass held the first kunai Anko threw, but instead of using her hands, she used her extremely long tongue. The ninja didn't seem surprised or threatened in the slightest, "Your knife, ma'am." She smiled.

Anko smiled back, an underlying threat her eyes, 'Why thank you Grass Ninja. I must warn you, the only people who come this close to me usually meet the end of my blade. I would promptly get the fuck out of my space if I were you." She snached her knife back, standing straight and asserting her authority.

The ninja slithered back, "Of course," She bowed her head, "I guess with all of the commotion, I was just a little too excited. I didn't mean any harm." She walked back to her team, Anko watching her from behind. Anko chuckled to herself, "Seems like everyone here is pretty jumpy today."

She walked back to her spot in the front, "Alright Maggots," She yelled loudly enough to be heard, "Shows over, now listen up. Before we get the shit show started, I have some consent forms for you read over and then sign."

"Consent forms?" Naruto asked, "What for?"

"Well, let's say that some of you may not come back from this test." Anko shrugged, "There's multiple ninja from different countries here for the exam, and this form lets everyone know that you knew the risks in taking this portion of the test, so there are no wars or unnecessary trouble if you happen to… disappear. Get it?"

There was an uncertain silence to follow, but no one disagreed.

"Good." Anko sighed as she handed the stack of forms to Naruto, "Here Blondie, pass these out. Now let me tell you what you'll be doing:

"The first thing you need to know is that this will test your survival skills. You'll get a brief layout of the forest and then we'll set you loose. Then…" She paused dramatically for effect, "It's going to be a complete and total free for all to get your hands on these scrolls." She pulled out a white and dark green scroll from her jacket, presenting them to the genin. The white read Heaven and the dark green read Earth

"You're going to need both. Seeing as how there's twenty-six of you, teams that is, half will be going for the Heaven scroll, and the others will be going for the Earth scroll. This is what the free for all is about. Your entire teams need to present both of these at the tower."

"That means at least half of us will fail." Sakura deduced, "Maybe even more if not everyone is able to get the scrolls."

Anko nearly chuckled, "Well, no one said this was going to be easy." She responded lightly. She tapped her chin in thought, "Well I suppose the only easy thing would be the time limit. You have no more than five days to complete."

Choji sputtered incoherently for a second, "What the hell?" He finally managed, "What are we supposed to do for food?"

"Well, take a look around," Anko deadpanned, "There's plenty of things to eat in there."

"Just be wary of the man-eating beasts and poisonous plants." Kabuto added.

"Oh man, this is a nightmare!" Choji held his head in his hands, nearly in tears at the thought of no food.

Ino rolled her eyes in disgust, "Shut up," She scolded, "And quit whining. This is meant to be a survival challenge for a reason you know."

Neji frowned in thought, "That must mean, with all of the circumstances in our way, there's no way that half of the teams will pass."

"Certainly, it will be a worthy challenge!" Lee grinned.

Sasuke frowned in thought as well, "With enemies all around us," He muttered, "There will be no resting. We'll likely have to keep a constant watch."

"No shit," Anko said, getting irritated with the interruptions now, "This test was meant to be grueling and difficult. I'm more than sure some of you won't be able to handle this."

Shikamaru raised his hand, waiting to be noticed. Anko, appreciating the gesture, nodded in his direction, "What's up Pineapple Head?" She asked.

"Troublesome woman," Shika muttered under his breath, "So, mid-exam; can we quit?" He asked. Anko rolled her eyes, "No, Dipshit." She rebuked, "You can't just say sorry and quit in the middle of a battle. I mean, not unless you want to die."

Shikamaru muttered cursed under his breath, earning a stink eye from Ino.

"You can't quit mid battle, but there are some ways you can be disqualified." Anko continued, "The first way, is if all three members can't make it with both scrolls under the time limit, you're out. Secondly, if one of you is missing or unable to continue, you're whole team is out. Finally. No one, under any circumstances is allowed to read the scrolls."

Naruto has a bit of a devious smile, "Well," He asked, "What if it just happens to open on its own and you read it by accident?"

Anko smiled sweetly once again, "You. Don't. Want. to. Know." She hissed scarily, "These scrolls are sealed shut, not able to open on their own. It's meant to test your integrity, so don't fucking open it.

"I covered all the bases now, so take your consent forms and exchange them at that booth over there. Once that's done, you'll get a scroll and a gate number. Go to the gate and we'll let you inside. We start in fifteen minutes."

Anko paused for a second before a cheerful smile stretched on her lips, "Oh, before I forget: Don't fucking die!" She nearly laughed at all of the shocked and fearful looks some of the genin gave her. Gods, she loved fucking with them.

* * *

Ino looked over to Team Eight and took a breath, walking over with a strained smile and stiff limbs. She was clearly not comfortable with the situation. She hated that Shikamaru sent her to talk to them; they were weird and quiet and creepy. However, he was right in them having to create more allies to pass the next part of the exam, as the free for all would put her team as a direct target, considering they were rookies fresh out of school.

She looked over each member carefully, studying their appearance and gauging their intimidation levels.

Shino was definitely the scariest of all three. He was creepy and had bugs all over him and never said anything. Ino remembered once seeing a bug crawl over his face and into his hair and shivered at the thought. He was not going to be the one to talk to.

There was Kiba, but Ino always found him kind of annoying. Sure, his new look was pretty hot, but she knew what kind of jerk he was at the academy. He was a cocky loud mouth, always getting into trouble with his dog and never really taking anything seriously. She wasn't going to talk to him, either.

Finally, there was Hinata. Ino had to admit she was more than pleased with the sudden outfit change, seeing as how Hinata was so shy she only wore baggy clothes in boring colors. But now that she had become a shinobi, she was starting to take her appearance more seriously.

Ino felt a sudden surge of jealousy and worry about Hinata's beauty, wondering if it would catch Sasuke's attention. However, if she remembered correctly, Hinata had a big crush on the number one knuckle-head, Naruto. She felt more secure then, approaching Hinata with more confidence, who looked at her in confusion.

"Hello Ino." Her soft voice drifted to her ears. She had a pleasant voice, though she was so quiet that Ino almost didn't hear her. Kiba and Shino immediately turned around and stared, wondering why Ino of all people was approaching Hinata.

Ino faltered for a moment before she drew herself up and smiled, less strained this time, "Hey Hinata," She greeted cheerfully, "I came over here on behalf of a proposition." Hinata softly smiled and tilted her head, "Oh?" She asked.

Ino nodded, relieved to have her attention, "See, Shikamaru was saying that as troublesome as this thing is, we're probably going to have to work together to pass. We don't want to fight with you, and you sure don't want to mess with us, so let's keep it peaceful, okay?"

Hinata looked to Kiba and Shino, who stared back at her. Ino felt a little uncomfortable at the silence, seeing them just staring at each other was also weird. She resisted playing with her hair to ease her nerves. Team Eight was just always this strange.

"An interesting concept," Shino suddenly said, causing Ino to jump, "If you could bring your teammates over to discuss the terms and conditions, we will accept."

"Sure, one second." Ino could not run fast enough to get Shikamaru and Choji.

* * *

"So what you're saying is: We don't actively hunt each other down, we stay out of the way of each other's paths, and if you really need help, we assist you?" Shino wanted to make sure that he had everything covered. He wasn't sure about this sudden alliance, but he knew that it was also smarter this way.

Shino didn't dislike Team Ten, but he didn't know them, didn't trust them. Ino was sneaky, Choji was a sheep, and Shikamaru was too smart for his own good. He wasn't going to follow whatever they simply asked for, not if he was going to keep his team safe.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, "That's basically it. We'll oblige by the same rules as well. We'll stay out of your way and help when you need help."

Kiba crossed his arms almost defensively, "No offence and all," But why should we help you? Who's to say that you won't betray us when we least expect it? This is a free for all." Akamaru barked twice, backing up his master's statement.

Shikamaru wasn't surprised at the question, but by the looks of Ino and Choji, they were almost offended. "You'll just have to trust us I guess. I'm sure you can find ways of keeping tabs on us."

"I noticed you haven't asked Team Seven to assist you." Shino's masked question didn't go unnoticed by Shikamaru. "I'm sure you all know that Team Seven aren't really the team-player types." He responded, "They go and do their own thing all the time, especially Sasuke. And with Naruto's loud mouth, I doubt anyone would want to be teamed up with them if they're trying to be unnoticed."

Shino considered Shikamaru's words carefully. He knew that Sasuke would rather soon fail than accept anyone's help. Hell, he barely got along with his own team; and it was only because of Sakura's obsession and Naruto's stubbornness that they even worked the slightest bit well together.

"What if you have a scroll we want?" Kiba suddenly asked. There was a silence. It seems that Shikamaru hadn't thought of it, or maybe, he didn't want to think of it.

"We'll just have to fight for it." Hinata's gentle smile was unnerving suddenly. She was the last person Team Ten would have thought to say that. Team Eight was definitely not one they wanted to fuck with.

Kiba grinned, nodding along, "You heard her." He said, "We'll be turning in our forms now. Shino is gonna plant some bugs on you. If you need any help, we'll be there." There was a slight pause as his grin turned dangerous, "And if you betray us, we'll find you." The cocky grin was back as he looked to his team, "Come on guys, I'm ready to get this thing started. It's time to show off my awesome skills!"

"Maybe we could take you more seriously if you weren't so overconfident all of the time." Shino replied. Team Ten flinched at the harshness of his tone but Kiba didn't seem offended in the slightest, "I could say the same of you." He laughed, "You're always so sure about those creepy crawlies you have."

"They are reliable. You're clumsy."

"Hey, I'm graceful as fuck! Hinata tell him!"

Hinata giggled behind her hand, "You do have a tendency to stumble here and there Kiba."

Kiba's head fell comically as his shoulders sagged and Akamaru barked out a laugh. He sulked behind his team as they continued to tease him.

Team Ten stood back and watched in confusion and fear. They didn't know what to make of the situation, especially with how hostile and aggressive they had been just a few moments ago. Ino looked at Shikamaru, "They're…" She trailed off, suddenly unsure. Choji nodded, understanding completely, "I'm just glad they teamed up with us," He muttered, "They're strange but scary."

Shikamaru nodded, thinking long and had about what was to come, and thanking himself for being a genius. Team Eight was not someone he wanted to fuck with.

* * *

Naruto was practically bouncing in excitement. He couldn't wait to get inside and kick some ass. He wasn't totally sure about what lay in store for him and his team, but he was sure that it was going to be fun.

"Naruto," Sakura growled, "Stop jumping around. Sasuke is gonna be back with our scroll any second, so calm down."

"I can't help it, Sakura," Naruto whined, "I'm just so pumped. I want to get in there and show everyone what I'm made of. Becoming a chunin is the next step to becoming Hokage." Sakura rolled her eyes and turned away from him.

Naruto watched as other teams were filling out their forms and turning them in. There was Kabuto and his team, the Sound ninja jerks and that creepy Grass ninja lady, too. He wasn't sure how many people would pass, but he was going to make sure that his team was one of them.

He noticed Hinata in the fray, alongside her was Kiba, pulling on her hair and poking her cheeks. Hinata blushed lightly as she laughed, swatting his hands away. It wasn't anything romantic, that much Naruto could tell, but it was something deep and personal and loving. He sighed silently to himself, briefly wishing he had that sort of relationship with someone.

He didn't see Shino, though, and wondered where he could have gone. He looked for the mess of brown hair in the crowd. Shino was always super quiet, therefore the best at hiding and being unnoticed.

He finally found him, and was surprised that he was having a calm, friendly chat with Anko. Wait, with Anko?

Without taking his eyes off the duo, Naruto nudged Sakura, who glared back at the blonde boy, "What is it now, Naruto?" She groaned. She noticed his sudden quiet nature and became curious, not even noticing Sasuke approaching at first.

"What's someone like Shino talking to that crazy lady for?" Naruto asked, staring harder now. The two were obviously having a friendly conversation, one that had Anko laughing and grinning about. How did they know each other so well?

Sakura turned to Sasuke, unsure of this discovery. He simply watched thinking and wondering further about Team Eight.

First the Hyuga and Ibiki and now the Aburame and Anko. They were supposed to be the weakest team, so why do they know these proctors?

Shino looked over his shoulder to his team and nodded, bidding Anko farewell as she wished him luck. She walked over to the gate and waited, checking her watch. Sasuke's eyes followed team eight once again, watching as they chatted quietly to each other and laughed.

He finally forced himself to look away, "Forget about them," He told Sakura and Naruto, who stared back in confusion, "They're not important to us unless they have our scroll. Let's get ready." Naruto and Sakura exchanged a glance but ultimately followed his instructions. They let the thought of Team Eight leave their minds as they walked to their gate to start.

* * *

"Get ready, Maggots." Anko called, looking at her watch, "We'll be starting in exactly one minute." Team Eight stretched as they waited, going over their plans. "The best thing to do is get a pin point on the scroll we need." Kiba said, scratching Akamaru behind his ear, "Opal, I'm sure you've got that covered, right?" Hinata nodded, "Of course."

"I think it would be best to set up traps in our area." Shino added, "We never know who might be hunting us." Kiba grinned deviously, "Who knows Spider," He chuckled, "Maybe we'll be hunting them."

"Attention!" Anko yelled out, "The second part of the Chunin Exams starts NOW."

* * *

The gates opened and Team Eight darted in, wanting to get a good head start. "We should hurry," Kiba said, "There might be some people heading straight to the tower so they can pick off people one by one and steal their scrolls. Opal, we need the Earth scroll. Do you see it?"

Hinata activated her Byakugan and searched, finding a team close by with the scroll they needed, "There's a team from the Rain south west of our location. They don't seem to have spotted us just yet."

Shino smirked to himself, "Leave that to me." He said, "Opal, watch for my chakra flare. Make sure it's not too big. Beastie, run ahead and find an open area for us to bait ourselves in. There are some friends not too far from here that are hungry."

Hinata felt a tinge of worry for the other team but ultimately forced it down. In the Shinobi world, it's kill or be killed, and while Hinata knew that, it didn't stop her from having a gentle heart.

Shino flared his chakra, trying to catch the enemy's attention. Hinata watched carefully, shifting back and forth between the other team and Shino and Kiba. She noticed one of them turn in her direction and smiled in victory, "Spider," She whispered, "We have their attention. One is spreading out his chakra to find us."

"We should hurry then." He responded, moving faster. Hinata dutifully followed, watching to make sure the other team was following. They finally caught up to Kiba who was putting the finishing touches on his trap. He stood straight and smiled at his team, "What took you so long?" He joked.

"We caught their attention," Hinata smiled, "They should be here any second."

"Good!" Kiba grinned, "Shino, are your friends nearby?"

Shino nodded, smirk still in place, "I've called them to this spot. They should be right above your trap."

"Perfect," Kiba pumped his fist in victory, "This'll be easy. With the desperation of getting a scroll, and us being the youngest set of teams, no one can resist coming to fight us. All we have to do is play it safe until we get to the tower, and its home free."

Akamaru growled and sniffed, alerting Kiba and the rest of the team, "Well, well," Kiba grinned maliciously, "It looks like company has arrived, and just in time for lunch."

Hinata felt her adrenaline rise. While the thought of hurting someone was unpleasant, she couldn't deny a rush of power or excitement when she was in battle. There was something soothing about a fight, something that relieved all of her built up tension.

Shino nodded, "It's begun." He chuckled.

Leeches began to rain down, sticking to the enemy and feeding. Shino watched in satisfaction as the three ninja dropped one by one to the floor, screaming and stabbing giant leeches. "What the fuck are these things!" The leader screamed, "Get them off!" Cried the second one. The third member lay on the floor, having passed out from blood loss and fear.

"These are giant leeches, obviously," Kiba laughed, "They sense body heat and perspiration, then as a group, they attack their prey. After five minutes of feeding, it's all over, but you all seemed to get a bunch of them, so I wonder how long it'll really take."

"Get them off, please." The leader begged, moving to sit up. He felt a tug on his wrist, noticing the ninja wife too late. With one last desperate look to Kiba, he and his teammates went into the air, screaming as they hung from a net with the leeches still feeding from them.

Kiba couldn't feel more proud of him and his team. "There's one less problem." He smirked, "Hinata, which one has the scroll?" Hinata looked carefully with her dojutsu and pointed. "This one, with the light brown hair," She tilted her head as she studied him, "He died; and so quickly, too."

The other two surviving teammates took her natural curiosity as something to fear, and so they screamed louder until finally they stopped. Kiba chuckled to himself, "That's one team down. Let's get going. Hopefully no one is stupid enough to investigate, but you never know."

With that, Team Eight left, proud that they managed a scroll within the first hour. At the rate they were going, they were going to be the first team at the tower.

* * *

They hadn't stopped to take a break yet, wanting to reach the tower before they could be ambushed. With Hinata's eye sight, Shino's bugs and Kiba and Akamaru's sense of smell and hearing, they were able to avoid most, if not all unnecessary conflict.

Kiba stopped suddenly, sniffing the air and frowning. Shino and Hinata stopped as well, looking back at him in confusion.

Hinata frowned and took a half step forward, _"What's wrong?"_

Kiba's eyes darted around as he continued to smell, _"There's someone coming to our area."_

Shino looked around as well, shoulders tensing and forehead creasing, _"Are they close?"_

Kiba turned slightly to the right and pointed, glancing at Hinata, _"Opal, check over there."_

Hinata activated her Byakugan and looked in the direction that Kiba was pointing to. After a moment she looked to her teammates and bit her lip in worry, _"They're too close to run."_

Kiba sucked his teeth and eyed the area. His gaze caught on a large patch of bushes, too thick for anyone to really see. He jerked his chin in the direction, _"There. That should be safe."_ He then jumped down, knowing his teammates would follow. They suppressed their chakra as best as they could and waited.

"I swear I sensed someone over here not long ago," A voice said, "They must be hiding somewhere."

There were three of them, all big in height and build with large hats on their head except for one, who, instead, had bandages around his forehead, two stitches on the left side of his mouth and two large scars on the left side of his face. They carried multiple umbrellas on their backs and Hinata noticed the headbands that had the Rain symbol on it.

She glanced at Shino who was silently commanding his bugs to siphon the chakra from the enemies before them.

Kiba noticed Akamaru suddenly tensing up, hiding further in his master's hood and beginning to tremble in fear. He let out a small whimper, causing the rest of Team Eight to freeze.

"Wait," Another voice said, "Did you hear something?" Hinata reached for her umbrella slowly, her heart now racing in anticipation.

There was a rustle in the bushes to the left, three strangers coming out from the brush. They were foreign, that much Hinata could tell. It was a blond female, a male in, what looked to be a cat suit and a boy around their ages with blood red hair.

"Who the hell are these guys?" The first voice asked.

"Hey look," Said a new third voice from the first enemy team, "They're from the Sand."

The girl looked bored, "It'd be best not to fight with us," She said, "I don't feel like cleaning up a mess." Hinata recognized her voice as the girl yelling from the back of the class during the first part of the exam.

The taller of the two hat-wearers scoffed, "Can you believe the nerve?" He asked offended, "These Sand ninja are practically challenging us head on."

"What a bunch of fools." The shorter hat-wearer added.

The leader grinned cruelly, "You should have known better kiddos," He mocked, "Now you're going to die!"

"I've just about heard enough from you." The red haired boy said boredly, "Let's hurry this up; I don't want to waste any more time on you."

Akamaru whimpered again, hiding as much as he could within the hood. Hinata and Shino looked over in worry for the poor dog. Kiba stared heavily at the boy and then turned to Hinata and Shino, eyes narrowed and brows pulled tightly together, "This guy is bad news."

"Hey, Gaara," The cat-suit boy intervened, "We don't even know if these guys have our scroll. Why waste time fighting instead of gathering information to get the one we need?"

"I don't care if they have our scroll," Gaara bit out, "I don't like the way they looked at me, so now they have to die."

"Yeah?" The leader taunted angrily, "Go ahead and try it!" He pulled off his umbrellas, opening them and throwing them in the air. He made a symbol with his hand and focused his chakra, "Ninja art: Senbon Storm!" Suddenly, a rain of senbon needles came out of the umbrellas, circling Gaara specifically.

"No matter where you go," The leader said, "Left, right, forward, or backwards, my senbon will get you. There's no escape!"

Gaara slowly blinked, not having any reaction in the slightest. He seemed even more bored than before, if even possible. The senbon suddenly closed in and struck, stabbing him from all angles. The dirt and dust kicked up, covering Gaara in a thick cloud.

The leader smirked in victory, seeing his victory as an easy one, until the smoke cleared and he stared on in shock. Gaara was surrounded by a barrier, needles sticking out of it. He was completely unharmed. "Is that the best you could do?" He taunted.

"That's impossible!" The leader shouted, "You don't even have a scratch on you!" He formed the hand signs again, sending more senbon out to hit Gaara who was still protected by the barrier around him. Needles began to fall as they hit the surface, simply bouncing off or getting stuck with the rest. "I have an idea," Gaara glowered, "Let's make it rain blood instead."

"How are you doing it?" The leader screamed, becoming fearful and angry.

"It's that gourd he has on his back," The cat-suit boy replied, "It's full of sand and Gaara uses his chakra to control and even harden it, a jutsu that only he knows. Somehow, it happens automatically, completely on its own without him even doing anything. It's an ultimate, impenetrable defence. All of your attacks are doomed to fail."

"Oh yeah?" The leader growled. He ran towards Gaara, kunai in his hand and a snarl on his face, "Try to block this, twerp!"

Gaara lifted his hands and calmly formed a triangle-like sign, aiming at his oncoming target. He thrust his right hand forward, "Sand Coffin!" He called out.

A thick hand made of sand wound its way up the enemy's leg, wrapping around his shoulders and covering his body. Soon enough, he was completely trapped, unable to move, much less escape.

The umbrellas he threw fell one by one onto the forest floor in front of Gaara who picked one up, "All I would have to do is cover your big mouth, and you'd be dead." He opened the umbrella with a quick flick of his wrist and positioned it over his shoulder, covering himself, "However, that would be too easy and way too boring."

Gaara lifted his hand, lifting the sand pile and taking the boy with it. He screamed in terror as he ascended and his teammates looked on helplessly. Gaara ignored the screams, staring on emotionlessly until he stopped him at a certain height. He looked the boy in the eyes and crushed his fist tightly, "Sand Burial!"

The leader had a short scream in terror and pain as the sand suddenly crushed his body, spraying his blood everywhere. Temari and Kankuro moved out of the splash zone but the other enemies were not so lucky, quickly becoming soaked in it all. Team Eight were grateful that the bushes they were under were so thick, otherwise they would be covered in the sticky mess as well.

Gaara stood still, almost peaceful with the umbrella covering his face and body from the rain of blood. He suddenly looked up, "I used more force than necessary, so it was over quickly." He announced, gathering his sand once more, "The corpse's bitter crimson tears flow and mingle with the endless sand, feeding the chaos within me and making me stronger."

The enemies were near tears, trembling before Gaara, "Please," The taller of the two begged, "Have our scroll, have anything you want, just please spare us!"

Gaara discarded the umbrella, aiming his hands at the other two ninjas, who, in seeing the movement, went running; but Gaara's sand was too quick, too efficient, and soon caught them, consuming their bodies. He didn't say anything, only clenching his fists and making them explode in a mass of blood and screams.

Team Eight looked on fearfully, thanking whatever gods that were there, that they hadn't been the first to encounter this team. He didn't scare them as much as Anko had, but they knew that the threat was there and that he would actually kill them.

Kiba wiggled around and caught the other two's attentions. He had an urgent look on his face and jerked his head over his shoulder, _"We need to go. Now!"_

Hinata and Shino nodded, making their way from under the bush silently.

The cat-suit boy moved forward, picking up a discarded scroll that was thankfully unharmed and free of blood. He smirked to himself and held it up for his team to see, "Look Temari," He called to the girl, "We're pretty lucky that they had a heaven scroll, right?" He pocketed the scroll and stretched, "Alright, let's move on to the next area."

"Kankuro," Gaara called, "Just shut up. It's- it's still not enough for me. I need more."

Team Eight froze again, hearts racing in fear and anticipation. Kiba closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner panic.

Kankuro managed to keep a cool head and attempted to reason with his teammate, "Come on Gaara," He smirked slightly, "Let's just go. We have all we need."

"Coward," Gaara spat, sparking an irritated look from Kankuro, "What are you scared or something?"

Temari watched in silence and fear as Kankuro approached Gaara, speaking a bit more aggressively this time, "Look, Gaara, this may be a piece of cake for you, but it's still dangerous for Temari and me. We have our set of scrolls, so we have all we need to pass."

Gaara lifted his hand in a familiar pose out to his side, "Losers like you can't tell me what to do." He dead-panned.

Kankuro finally lost his patience. He stormed up and grabbed Gaara by the front strap holding the gourd to his back, pulling him close and into his face, "Alright I've had it." He growled out, "Sometimes, you have to listen to what your big brother says, got it?"

Kiba's wide eyes stared back at Shino and Hinata who were equally surprised, _"That's his big brother?"_

Hinata's brows furrowed, _"They don't act like it at all."_

Shino nodded slowly, _"Indeed. There's a strong fear between the two others for Gaara."_

"It's almost too bad, considering I don't view you as my big brother at all. If you get in my way, I'll kill you." Gaara's threat hung heavily in the air until he smacked Kankuro's hand away and raised his arm to the side again.

Gaara sensed three other chakra signatures nearby, hiding to his right. He used his own chakra to feel for them, finding that they were weak and felt distant, but he figured they were suppressing or trying to conceal themselves.

"Wait," Temari intervene, voice gentle and pleading. She raised her hands in surrender and smiled shakily, "Let's take a moment to breathe. Gaara, you don't have to treat us like we're your enemy. We wouldn't do anything disrespectful. Why not just do it as a favor for your big sister, please Gaara?"

Kankuro said nothing, still in a staring contest with Gaara who began to gather sand to the palm of his hand. Team Eight felt the chakra being gathered and tensed, grabbing their weapons and preparing for a fight. Everyone was now expecting the worst.

"Gaara, please!" Temari begged.

The silence was unbearable.

Kankuro peeked through his eyes to see a cork in Gaara's hand, sand pouring from his fingertips. "Fine," He said emotionlessly, "I'll spare you this time." He placed the cork in his gourd and walked off, leaving his siblings behind.

He thought back to the three shinobi hiding in the trees and smirked wickedly to himself. He could always kill them in secret, after all, he had their signatures memorised.

Temari and Kankuro sighed in relief, looking to each other in fear and understanding before they followed behind from a safe distance. Kankuro spared a glance over his shoulder, looking around the area one last time before they walked off completely.

Team Eight were breathing heavily, thankful that they managed to keep their cool. If there had been a fight, it would have been a very painful one, one that may have taken them out of the chunin exams and their shinobi careers for good.

"That was way too close," Kiba breathed, comforting Akamaru in his jacket, "Let's hope we never have to run into those psycho's again."

"Agreed," Shino sighed as he stood, "It would be best if we take a detour; we head straight to the tower, away from that team. We can't afford another confrontation like that. It's not as safe for us anymore now that we have both scrolls. Let's take a break at the nearest water source, refill our canteens and take a break before we complete the exam. We need our strength if we're going to make it there in one piece."

Hinata and Kiba nodded, dusting themselves off and running with Shino to a stream nearby that Hinata located with her Byakugan.

* * *

The journey was tough and stressful. Team Eight did their best to avoid danger and other teams. Though they were tired and wary, their mission of getting to the tower alive and with both scrolls was successful. After finding their door, Team Eight entered, reading the message on the wall and having a chunin appear from their scrolls.

"Congratulations in passing the second part of the exam." He announced, "You are the second team to make it here. Once the time limit ends, we will retrieve you and take you to the next area; until then, you may rest. There is to be no fighting or conflicts of any type. We have cameras around the building, so don't do anything stupid."

With that, the chunin disappeared in a puff of smoke and Team Eight were left alone once again.

They walked further into the tower, eyeing all of the rooms and picking one that was empty, far away from the entrance. They sat, one by one, with their backs together and rested. They knew that the 'other ninja' were the sand siblings they were trying to avoid, and so they were on edge.

None of Team Eight trusted that Gaara would follow the rule of no killing, and his siblings wouldn't stand in his way if it meant they would live. They were very wary indeed.

Kiba offered to take first watch, which Hinata and Shino were grateful for. Although their stamina improved greatly, they were still second best compared to Kiba, who had a lot of energy despite the long run.

Shino and Hinata lay down, side by side, facing each other and curled close, lightly touching each other in a shy, comforting way as they slept. They craved physical attention, but were still too awkward and reserved to actually cuddle. Kiba smiled at the sight and vowed to protect them with his round of acting watch.

Kiba paced and paced and paced. He heard other people enter the building and almost wished for some sort of conflict, if only to keep himself entertained. He wasn't sure why he was so restless. Maybe it was because of the fighting? Maybe it was his heritage or abilities. All he knew was that he needed to move, he needed to keep active and he was becoming impatient from having to wait for something to happen, but he would never stray from his team, and so he paced.

He walked over and woke up Shino, who stirred lightly. Shino, now aware, slowly moved away from Hinata so as not to scare her awake. He took Kiba's outstretched hand and stood, stretching and feeling refreshed from the short nap.

He watched as Kiba laid next to Hinata, gently resting his hands around her waist and Akamaru curling between them for warmth.

Shino sent out his bugs and began to count. He wasn't sure when he developed the habit, but it was the only thing keeping him awake and aware. He liked the math, however, as it was a reliable factor, something that comforted him. Numbers were a big part of life, as you needed to count money or manage time or apply it in sciences and logical situations. When Shino counted, there was harmony and everything made sense suddenly. Arithmancy never lied.

Hinata woke up after the second tap. Shino's glasses were a welcomed sight, and finding Kiba's arms around her made her blush. She untangled herself from the sleeping Dog Boy and stood, smiling at Shino who returned the expression. He lay down with his back to Kiba's, making sure they were close, and continued to rest.

Hinata hummed as she waited, softly singing songs from memory or even coming up with her own. It soothed her, reminding her of better times. Her mother often sang, another reason why Hiashi banned music from the household, and when she did, it was like the whole world outside was silent, just to listen. Hinata knew she wasn't as good as her mother, but that didn't stop her from trying. She loved music.

Hinata activated her Byakugan when she noticed three chakra signatures heading her way. She stood tall, grabbing her umbrella and waking her boys, who immediately were on guard.

"Just as I thought," Kankuro complained in the near distance, "There's nowhere else to go."

"How long are they going to make us wait?" Temari's voice added, "Seriously, it's been half a day already."

They suddenly entered the same room as Team Eight looking bored and unimpressed. They caught sight of them and stared as they passed, bored gazes turning curious and a little hostile. They didn't miss the way Team Eight tensed up, looking ready to fight.

Temari turned her nose up at them, huffing haughtily. Kankuro eyed Hinata, but otherwise said nothing.

Gaara didn't bother turning his head, but his eyes flickered over, sending a death threat with his gaze. To their credit, Team Eight didn't even flinch, choosing instead to send their own glares, ones that promised a well-worth fight. It was Them.

He stopped then, confusing his siblings as he turned to Team Eight. He studied each and every one of them now, looking over them slowly. Hinata did her best not to tremble, gripping her umbrella tightly in her hands while Gaara's eyes roamed over her.

"You three," He said, "Were in the forest not too long ago."

"What of it?" Kiba asked back, standing to move in front of his team. There was no way in hell that Kiba was going to let this demonic punk intimidate and stare at his pack.

"You were there when I killed those Rain ninja." Gaara stated boredly, "I felt your chakra not too far away. It's almost like fate, since I was going to kill you back there as well."

Shino's bugs buzzed anxiously and threateningly, loud enough for even the Sand ninja to hear, and Akamaru began to growl, hair standing on end. Kiba reacted to the hostility with his companion and teammate and began to growl as well, eyes narrowing.

Kankuro fiddled with the mummy on his back, slowly untying it. Temari was reaching for her fan and Gaara's sand was beginning to stir.

Hinata stood front and center now, staring down Gaara, who stared back blankly. She said nothing but he noticed that her umbrella was resting on her back and her stance was relaxed. Brave little girl, wasn't she?

"Enough." She said. Her words were strong but her voice shook heavily, belying the fear she had. Her whole body, in fact, was shivering, but she forced herself to stand tall, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. "That's-that's enough. There's to be no fighting, remember? We're not trying to cause any trouble or get eliminated. If you want a fight, you won't find it here."

Gaara noticed that the girl's teammates immediately stopped, still tense but no longer threatening to fight. Her words held power over them, despite how afraid she was at the moment. She was a small thing, but despite her size and fear, there was a bravery there, a desire to protect. Gaara would think back to that one day, and remember that underneath the love and protective aura, there was something darker, something almost as sinister as himself within her.

But that's later on in the story.

"What's your name, girl?" He asked. Hinata looked surprised, her teammates looked pissed. Gaara knew that his siblings must have been just as shocked as she was, as this would be the second time Gaara asked for a name, and she wasn't even that powerful. There was a tense silence as Hinata hesiated.

"I asked you a question." Gaara said annoyed, "Do you expect me to wait?"

"Hyuga Hinata," She replied hastily, "My name is Hyuga Hinata."

Gaara nodded slowly and then turned around and walked away, his siblings following as they glanced back at Team Eight.

Hinata waited until their signatures were faint before she stumbled back and fell on her bottom in shock, "Holy shit." She whispered, further surprising her teammates with her cursing. Kiba laughed in astonishment and nerves, "Holy shit is right. Are you ok Opal?" He and Shino helped her up from the floor. "I think so." She muttered.

"So," Shino prodded, "What did you see?"

Hinata smiled mysteriously and looked to the door in which the Sand Siblings left, "He's going to be the next ruler of the Sand Village, the next Kazekage."  
"Seriously? That psycho?" Kiba exclaimed.

Shino nodded sagely, accepting what Hinata saw, "Did he at least look happy?"

Hinata searched as best as she could, smiling in content at her vision: Gaara was surrounded by the Rookie Nine and Team Gai, Naruto by his side. Temari and Kankuro looked proud and content, showering their little brother with love and praise. He had his Kage hat in his hands and a happy smile on his face.

Hinata nodded, "He's very happy, or rather, he will be. I'm sure Naruto will talk sense into him one day."

* * *

Gaara dispelled his Third Eye jutsu and stared at the floor in shock. This girl, this weakling said that he was going to be the next Kazekage. It was absurd, unheard of. He was a demon, his village feared him, his father was threatened by him. He was unloveable and evil and sick and twisted. The dog boy called him a psycho, something he agreed with heavily.

But, she was so sure. She seemed happy for him, almost excited even. Who was Naruto? Better yet, who was this girl? He had so many questions he needed the answer to.

"Gaara," Temari shakily called out"Are you alright? You seem… troubled." His eyes met hers and she looked away in fear. "Shut up." He said halfheartedly.

It didn't matter. They didn't matter and she didn't matter. He was going to kill her anyways.

* * *

Days passed within the tower, and more and more people were showing up with scrolls in their hands. Team Ten had arrived one day before the test was over, shortly followed by Team Seven.

Hinata sighed in relief seeing that Naruto passed the second exam. She deactivated her Byakugan and watched over her team, who decided to rest before the exam was over. Hinata had just been woken up a few minutes ago, maybe five, and was happy to see Shino and Kiba and Akamaru resting soundly. They deserved the rest considering the amount of stress and effort they had to endure, and Hinata was more than happy to act as guard.

She hummed softly, organizing her kunai and shuriken. She periodically activated her Byakugan, scanning the area before going back to her task. She noticed Sasuke wandering around, but decided that it was nothing, seeing as how the Avenger was always looking for reasons to ditch his team. He was probably exploring, looking for some peace and quiet.

She felt him come closer and closer, probably wondering what the noise was, and so she stopped, continuing the song in her head. He was behind her now, but she didn't feel threatened, not at all. Sasuke Uchiha was likely to turn around or continue his journey, especially seeing as how Team Eight occupied the space already.

She froze, feeling the hairs rise on the back of her neck. Her eyes twitched.

* * *

Sasuke scanned the room, ignoring the multiple teams that were within view. Ino had already tracked him down, fighting with Sakura the next second. Naruto was trying to calm the pink banshee down, to no avail. Sasuke used the opportunity to slip away, searching for the Hyuga.

He walked around, exploring the rooms and checking every corner. He heard a soft noise coming from down the next hall and followed, realizing that it was humming. It was very quiet, but Sasuke followed as best as he could until he found who he was looking for.

She was sitting on her knees, back straight and elegantly poised, a true Hyuga princess. Thankfully, her teammates were asleep not too far away, so this would make the interrogation easier.

He pulled out a kunai and slowly approached, hoping to get the drop on her. Didn't she hear him or feel his chakra? He scoffed under his breath. She was so weak, she couldn't even sense him about to attack-

-Hinata stood suddenly, turning around with a kunai in her hand and calm serene look on her face. Sasuke was surprised at being caught, and so he rushed in, throwing his kunai to distract her. Hinata moved out of the way, backing up when Sasuke attacked. She parried his strikes almost too easily, however, she stumbled at the amount of strength in each attack, the precision and perfection.

He ran and performed a flying kick to which Hinata spun out of the way, facing him again and keeping her arms up. He threw another kunai which she grabbed and threw to the side leaving Sasuke the opening her was looking for. He drew his arm back and swung a powerful punch before stumbling back in surprise. Hinata's umbrella was thrust out, the handle having been what jabbed his gut. She flipped it the right way around and positioned it over her shoulder, her other hand on her hip.

Sasuke began to attack, growing more frustrated as Hinata bobbed and weaved around him, her stance never dropping. As he threw another flying kick, Hinata closed her umbrella and blocked his hit and the next. She swerved low and quickly, spinning elegantly away. Sasuke was angry now.

Hinata, still using her umbrella repeatedly blocked, dodged and even pushed him away, remaining calm and poised. With every kick, every punch, Hinata used her superior flexibility and acrobatic skills to flip away.

Sasuke somehow managed to grab her as she twirled, spinning with her and throwing her body to the side easily. Hinata twisted, contorting her body and opening her umbrella, using the gravity seals to have her land gently.

As she stood, Kiba and Shino ran in, Kiba weilding a tetsubo and Shino with his hands in his pockets, though the aura around him was anything but calm.

"What the fuck is your problem you damn Uchiha?" Kiba yelled.

Sasuke scoffed and stood straight, "I don't have to answer to you, Mutt." He glared.

Kiba went to attack, stopping when Shino grabbed his arm. Sasuke looked over at Shino boredly as he began to speak, "Uchiha, you attack and insult my teammates without care. You may be the last of your clan, someone powerful and maybe even revered, but even you are not immune to the punishment of hurting my team. We will be reporting you and your attack, eliminating you and your team from the chunin exams, unless you tell us what you want."

Sasuke stared at Hinata, who had yet to say anything. She stared back, curious and wary.

"You three have relationships to the proctors of this exam." He said, his silent questioning hanging in the air. Team Eight looked to each other, seemingly having a conversation with one another before turning back to him, "That is correct." Shino replied.

"How much did the Hyuga pay them then, for you to pass without problems?" He asked more aggressively. Hinata blushed in surprise before laughing, a pleasant sound that was apparently contagious. Kiba laughed too, Shino only smirked behind his collar.

Sasuke almost blushed in anger and humiliation, choosing to glower instead. He was going to tear that Hyuga to shreds if she didn't stop laughing at him soon. This was serious business.

"No, no Uchiha," Hinata said, laughter dying down, "You have it all wrong. My family didn't pay anyone for me to pass. I would be an embarrassment to my family if I could not pass by my own skill. Ibiki and Anko know our sensei, therefore they know us and we know them."

Sasuke didn't know whether to believe her or not, as the Hyuga looked like the deceiving type, especially by how she fought: cold and calculated and calm. She was definitely more than she seemed.

"Fine," He bit out, "I'll look into your story, but if you're lying to me, you're the ones getting reported and I'll make sure your clan is ruined for the sleazy, scum-bags they are, Hyuga."

Hinata stared back at Sasuke, unintimidated, "Do whatever you wish, Uchiha." Was all she said.

 **"ATTENTION ALL CANDIDATES. THE SECOND PART OF THE CHUNIN EXAM IS NOW OVER. REPORT TO YOUR ASSIGNED DOORS AND WAIT FOR A CHUNIN TO RETRIEVE YOU TO THE NEXT AREA."**

"Best get back to your team, Sasuke," Kiba taunted, "Wouldn't want to fail the test and let them down, right?"

Sasuke sent Team Eight one more scowl before walking off, hands in his pockets.

"Man that guy is a fucking asshole." Kiba muttered, "Are you okay, Opal?" He asked. Hinata smiled and nodded, "I'm fine. He didn't get to land a real hit."

"We should stay wary of Team Seven, now, or at the very least, Sasuke." Shino observed.

"Yeah, that guy is bad news." Kiba added, "Anyways, let's get going. Our chunin must be waiting at the doors by now."

Team Eight walked off, unaware of the eyes that had seen everything, staring at them from afar.


	14. Chapter 14

**_Italics are_ _Team Eight's Wordless Communication_**

 **Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of the other name rights. Happy Reading!**

* * *

Each ninja team was grouped up in lines of three of their own teams. Team Eight stood on the left in between Teams Seven and Ten. Shino was in the back, Hinata in the middle and Kiba leading point with Akamaru sleeping in his, now zipped up, jacket. There was a tense silence as they walked into the next area.

They all took the time to look around and study the room, seeing it was some sort of small arena. There were stairs on each end of the room that lead up to catwalks on the walls to view the area below. There were three giant panels on the back wall of the room that each team faced, and in front of that, a giant statue of arms and hands holding up the Ram ninjutsu sign.

Each team's jounin instructor stood behind the Hokage and his entourage, which included Ibiki and Anko. Team Eight looked to Kurenai who stood tall and proud amongst the other jounin, being the only female there. She smiled at her team and nodded once, signifying that they had done a good job. Each member straightened their spines at the praise, feeling their hearts lighten and happiness bloom in their chests.

Ibiki briefly glanced at Hinata, though it was a glimpse, Hinata knew he was proud. Anko too, glanced at Shino and Kiba, smirking before turning her attention to the rest of the teams.

"First of all," She announced, "Congratulations on passing the second part of the exam."

Team Eight were surprised many had made it this far, although, they knew that some of the teams here were more powerful than they seemed. Hinata glanced over to Gaara and shivered.

As Choji complained about being hungry, Shikamaru took a look around, "Troublesome," He muttered lowly, "There's too many people left. That's such a pain."

"Sasuke passed too!" Ino sighed dreamily, ignoring Shikamaru's pessimism.

"Well of course he did." He bit out, "We did step in to save them after all. I'd be pissed if they hadn't passed and I wasted all that effort for nothing. Troublesome."

Hinata looked over to Team seven and smiled to herself, blushing slightly, 'Looks like Naruto passed too. I'm so happy for him.'

"Hey, pay attention maggots!" Anko barked out, "Lord Hokage is going to explain the third exam so listen up."

Sarutobi smiled and nodded, "Thank you Anko," He said. He looked around the room slowly, his wizened eyes lingering on the Rookie Nine.

He knew Team Seven would pass, as they were powerful and unstoppable. Naruto was unconsciously learning how to use his demon's chakra, having used it to fight against Orochimaru. Sasuke was a prodigy in his own right, having unlocked the Sharingan, and with a talent for combat; someone powerful enough to get Orochimaru's attention. Sakura had a lot of potential and raw power. She just needed the right motivation to unlock it, and he hoped Kakashi would be the one to encourage it. She needed his feedback and attention just as much as the others.

Team Ten was lead by his own son, Asuma, and they were amazing in their own right. Shikamaru had just about as much intelligence as his father, and with the right guidance, he would be able to be even greater and more knowledgeable. He could very well become the next Hokage advisor, if only he put in effort. Ino and Choji were well off becoming like their own fathers, seeing as how Ino had a very special talent for her clan's techniques and Choji was quickly learning the Butterfly Mode as explained by his father.

Finally, Team Eight, his proudest secret. He was happy they had found their ambition before it was too late, and that they had found each other as well. Hinata's doujutsu was steadily progressing, and she was finding it easier to wield the more she practiced. Kiba was nearly ready to be let off the sedatives, finding time to hunt and practice his transformation techniques on missions and in secret. Shino was developing his own breed of insects and was soon ready to adapt and extend his seals. With the new set, he could possibly receive other abilities as well.

He closed his eyes and sighed silently to himself, clearing his throat for his speech and explanation for the chunin exams, as well as giving a background on the history of said exams.

Hinata listened carefully, soaking the information like a sponge. No doubt Kiba and Shino were doing the same.

"This final exam," He began to conclude, "Is a fight in life and death for your village and for the pride of that village." There was a silence following as everyone processed the information.

This next part of the exam could end in death, for the sake of the country and the sake of their dreams as shinobi. There were some murmurs of hesitation and some who simply accepted it.

"You sure convinced me, Grandpa Hokage." Naruto exclaimed excitedly.

"That's all well and fine," Gaara said boredly, "Just tell me details of the exam."

"Very well." Sarutobi relented, "I shall now tell you the details of the next part of the exam."

A ninja dropped in front of the Hokage, kneeling before him in respect, "Please, Lord Hokage, allow me to provide information to these genin as proctor for the next exam."

The Hokage paused for a moment, nodding his head slowly.

The jounin stood tall, slowly turning around to the genin behind him, "My name is Gekko Hayate. It's nice to meet you all." He paused as he coughed a bit, drawing weird looks from some of the genin and jounin alike. "There is something I would like to ask of you before we proceed." He then fell into a heavy coughing fit, covering his mouth as he hacked on relentlessly.

Team Eight shared a look of concern and awkwardness as the cough started to get a bit more violent.

Finally, the cough seemed to have calmed down as Hayate cleared his throat. "Now then," He sighed, "We have to have a preliminary exam before we can move on to the real one." There were shocked and angry looks from all of the genin.

"Preliminary?" Shikamaru shouted, "Just what the hell does that mean?" He was frustrated. He expected to move on, maybe pass and then get along with his life, same as usual, but now these jounin were adding extra steps and rounds, making continuing that much more difficult.

Hayate didn't seem phased in the least, "What that means is, the first and second part of the exam must have been too easy this year. We weren't expecting so much of you to actually pass. The rules state that we can add a preliminary round at any time, if only to reduce the number of candidates."

"But is that even fair?" Sakura stuttered out.

"We just need to speed things up." He replied, "A lot of important people are going to be coming here to watch only the best compete in the exams, and we can't afford to waste their time. With that being said, if you do not feel like you're in top physical condition, I suggest you leave while you can, otherwise we'll be starting the preliminaries immediately."

Ino's shoulders slumped in exhaustion, "We just finished the last exam. Don't we get a break?" She asked desperately.

"What a drag." Shikamaru whined.

"This exam is a one on one, life or death, combat challenge," Hayate continued,ignoring Team Ten, "So once again, quit while you still can."

Hinata noticed Sasuke flinch from the corner of her eyes, clutching his shoulder in pain. She knew Kiba and Shino noticed as well, as they had shifted their stances slightly, moving away from Team Seven.

"What do we do about the Uchiha?" Kiba's attention moved to Ibiki, who, with Anko and the Hokage, was staring at Sasuke.

Anko glared, "We take him out of the exam, hand him over to Black Ops and keep him locked up until we get that seal under control."

"Oh and he'll just happily go along with it all, right?" Kakashi intervened, "You forget, He's an Uchiha."

"I don't give a fuck about what clan he's from!" Anko growled, "He's a danger to everyone here! The stronger he gets, the stronger that fucking curse mark gets with him from feeding off of his fucking chakra. It's a forbidden jutsu that devours the one who bears it and frankly, I'm surprised the little shit isn't dead yet." She turned to Sarutobi, "Please, Lord Hokage, we need to pull him."

Sarutobi said nothing for the time being, seemingly lost in thought.

"Sasuke?" Sakura asked in worry. Naruto turned his head, looking over his shoulder at his teammates. Kiba's attention was brought back to Team Seven, along with the rest of his team.

"Sasuke please listen to me, okay?" Sakura asked carefully, "I think… I think you need to quit." Both Naruto and Sasuke stared back at her in shock as she continued, "Please Sasuke, you haven't been the same since you fought Orochimaru, since he gave you that mark on your shoulder." Sakura continued pleading, asking for him to quit. She began crying, telling her team how scared she was.

Hinata glanced at Kiba, who caught her eyes and made a disgruntled face, _"Seriously, does she not notice how loud she's being?"_

Sasuke caught the silent exchange and looked around, relieved that no one else was paying attention. "Sakura," He hissed, "Shut up."

"Do you think I'm blind?" She exclaimed, "I see how much you're suffering and I can't stand it. I'm going to tell them about that mark!"

As she raised her hand, Hinata noticed that there was another hand that was raised. It was that boy, Kabuto. "Alright," He smiled embarrassed, "You've convinced me. I'm quitting."

Hayate looked at a list in his hands, "You're Yakushi Kabuto, right? A leaf ninja. You may step out of line and leave."

"Hold on just a minute!" Naruto yelled, "What do you think you're doing? You can't just quit!"

"I'm sorry Naruto, but I'm just not up for it." Kabuto sighed, "Ever since orientation, since that battle with those sound ninja, I lost my hearing in my left ear. Now they want me to fight again, without a break? Even put my life on the line? No thank you. I'm better off quitting."

Shino noticed the Hokage and his mentors whispering to each other, giving Kabuto's leaving form sideways looks as they spoke. He discreetly let a bug out of his sleeve.

"Well, there's one," Hayate continued, "Anyone else?"

Sakura attempted to lift her hand again but Sasuke slapped it down, gripping her wrist. Hinata nearly jumped in surprise with how harsh he was with her, frowning to herself as she unconsciously touched her own wrist.

"Don't you dare tell them about this mark." Sasuke hissed.

Kiba had to suppress a smile at that. 'They already know, Dumbass!'

Sakura's eyes watered but she quickly blinked them away, taking a breath, "I don't get it." She cried, "Just what are you trying to prove? How am I supposed to just watch you tear yourself apart? I can't bear to continue to watch it."

"Then don't watch and stay out of it." He countered aggressively, earning a gasp from Sakura, "You're not a part of this, Sakura. I told you before... I'm going to get my revenge."

Kiba bit the inside of his cheek, trying his best to keep a straight face. Fuck he's so thatrical, isn't he?

"This is more than the exam." Sasuke continued, "I don't care if I become a chunin at all. I want an answer to how strong I've become. I can only do that by fighting the best of the best, and all of them are here in the exams." He chanced a hidden glance at Hinata, who turned away from him, hiding her face. "This is the path I've chosen, and not you or anyone else can change that. The path… of an Avenger."

Kiba lost it, shoving his face in his elbow to stifle his laughter, which thankfully worked, as no one but his team noticed.

Hinata found herself sighing and closing her eyes. She understood to an extent what Sasuke's goal was. She knew about the massacre and how his brother was the one to do it. She wouldn't know what to do if Neji or even Hanabi were to do something so vile.

But he was becoming an avenger in such a… twisted way. He was focused on power and becoming stronger, to the point where he put himself at risk; and Hinata wouldn't be surprised if he put his own team at risk as well.

She understood the need to be stronger, to be more powerful and to have a purpose, but after his revenge, what would he have? He was cutting his ties with his team, he was hurting himself and pushing himself in a destructive way for revenge and then he would end up lost and hopeless and maybe even worthless as a ninja.

It wasn't her place to say anything, but she knew that him being an avenger, was going to cause a lot of problems in his future and even possibly, the village's future. But even more so…

She thought about his avenger declaration and sighed once again; he didn't have to be so fucking dramatic about it.

"Don't you know when to quit?" Naruto growled, "You don't need to be an asshole; she just cares about you, you bastard."

"You know, Naruto," Sasuke said, a smirk gracing his features, "You're the one I want to fight the most."

There was an intense stare between the two, lasting longer than a minute. Kiba was sure there was some sexual tension there, but he wasn't going to say anything about it for now.

"Let's see how this plays out." Sarutobi's voice caught his attention once more, "We'll let Sasuke compete in the exams for now." He said, earning an angry curse from Anko, "However, if Sasuke loses control or is a danger to anyone otherwise, we will take him out of the exams."

"I understand Lord Hokage." Ibiki said, masking his displeasure at the decision.

Anko was looking to argue, but a serious look from Ibiki and the Hokage quieted her. She glared at Kakashi who, while was as concerned as she was over Sasuke, couldn't help but be a bit smug at having somewhat won the argument.

Kiba felt himself grow anxious at their decision. Sasuke, though as stupidly dramatic as he was, was still powerful in his own right. He knew that if Sasuke got out of control, it would be bad for everyone. He hoped that his team would be spared from having to fight that asshole.

"If that's it then," Hayate announced, "Then we will begin the preliminary round.

"This preliminary test will consist of one-on-one combat. This is not an exercise; this is a full intensity type battle. Since there are twenty of you remaining, we will have ten matches total and the surviving winners of these matches will then take part in the final stage of the chunin exams.

"There are no rules. You will fight until death, until you admit defeat or until you are physically incapable of continuing at any point.

"As your proctor, it is my duty to judge every match fairly; that means I can intervene at any time, especially if a match seems hopeless. I am going to do my best to avoid any fatal outcomes."

He turned to Anko who nodded and talked into an earpiece to open a panel. A large black screen was revealed behind him. "Now that we've gone over everything, it's time to begin. There will be a screen to determine your opponents at random."

The screen flashed through the names in seconds, slowing down on both sides until they appeared on the screen.

* * *

There was no surprise that Sasuke was first.

"The two names on the board, step out of formation and come forward."

Sasuke smirked as he approached the front, looking at his opponent.

Dosu couldn't be more pleased that he would be fighting Uchiha Sasuke. Ever since Orochimaru gave him his orders, he had been intrigued. What sort of plans would his Lord have for this Uchiha if he was asking Dosu and his team to fight him? And after the curse mark revealed itself, he was sure that Orochimaru was testing him and his strength. Perhaps after Dosu defeated the Uchiha, he would be granted the curse seal as well, and become even more powerful.

Hayate wrote on his clipboard before looking at the two chosen genin, "Kinuta Dosu and Uchiha Sasuke, you have been chosen to battle against each other in the first match. Are there any objections?"

"None here." Sasuke smirked.

"No." Dosu grunted.

Hinata noticed Sasuke twitching in pain and sighed to herself. Surely, whatever point he was trying to prove was much more important than his well being. Sure, he wanted to become stronger, and maybe he was strong enough to bear the pain for now, but that wouldn't mean anything if this pain carried on and caused any, if not further damage to his body or chakra.

"Everyone except the two candidates," Hayate announced, "You are to clear the area and move to the upper levels. We will begin our match promptly."

* * *

Hinata smiled at her sensei as she walked over, "Hello sensei," She bowed. Kurenai smirked proudly, "Hello Hinata, Shino, Kiba and Akamaru. I'm pleased to see you've made it this far, though I'm not surprised. You three trained very hard for this. I'm very proud of you."

Kiba smirked to himself before he glanced over to Team Seven. He watched as Kakashi spoke to Sasuke, and by the look on his face, Sasuke was not pleased. Kiba figured Kakashi was telling the Uchiha Brat that he knew about the mark and that he needed to watch himself.

"Kurenai-sensei," Kiba called. Kurenai immediately turned to Kiba. It wasn't every day that he looked and sounded so serious. He was frowning, staring at the Uchiha, "We need to watch out for him. He's bad news and everyone is whispering about this Curse Mark he got. Something's going on and I don't like it."

Kurenai looked over to Sasuke, unintentionally catching Kakashi's single eye. They stared for a moment, almost challenging each other. Kurenai, however, shifted her casual stance for a more powerful, aggressive one; she stood completely straight, arms crossed and shoulders squared. She wasn't backing down to the likes of him and she had this protective aura about her.

Kakashi glanced to her team who all immediately tensed up. They knew something and he didn't like it. He continued on his way out of the official arena, leaving Kurenai and her team to go up as well.

Hinata glanced back at Sasuke who glared in return. She frowned to herself and sighed, turning away. She wasn't going to be a part in his own self-destruction.

The fight went off without a hitch. Hinata watched his movements carefully, noticing that he wasn't using his Sharingan. She figured it was for chakra conservation or maybe because of that curse mark.

Dosu was an excellent combatant. He was careful, that's for sure but she noticed he relied too heavily on his abilities rather than his combat. He managed to shake Sasuke up quite a bit by using the sound waves against him.

In the end, however, Sasuke had the upper hand and defeated Dosu with an impressive combo. As he was in the air, however, Hinata noticed strange markings covering his neck and face.

"Hinata," Shino called. Hinata was almost startled with him using her first name instead of Opal, but she knew that there were too many people around to be so familiar with each other. Shino was private in that way, preferring to use nicknames in secret.

When he had her attention, he continued, "Use your Byakugan. What is that mark doing?"

Hinata activated her dojutsu, concentrating on the mark on Sasuke's neck. She cringed, "It's consuming his chakra," She said, "It's stationed on his shoulder." What an ugly curse seal to bear.

Dosu was carried away on a stretcher, the power of the kick breaking several ribs and knocking him unconscious. The medic offered Sasuke to go with him but Kakashi stepped in, offering to take Sasuke instead.

Before they could leave, however, Sarutobi called him, as well as Kurenai, over.

"Kakashi, I understand you're taking the Uchiha boy to have him sealed." The old Hokage deduced, to which Kakashi affirmed with a nod. "Very well," Sarutobi continued, "In that case, you may want to take Hyuga Hinata with you; she is well on to becoming proficient with the art of sealing."

Kakashi's one visible eye widened just a fraction as he took in this new information. He was surprised to say the least that the Hokage was confident in a genin's ability in fuinjutsu to this extent. It made him wonder more about this suspiciously quiet team Kurenai had under her wing.

Kurenai was conflicted. On one hand, she was proud that her student was being recognized, but on the other, she wanted Hinata at full capacity to fight and participate. The sealing would surely hinder her chakra.

"With all due respect, Lord Hokage," Kurenai reasoned, "Hinata is proficient, yes, but I would like for her to participate in the exams at her best. This sealing would take a lot of her chakra, as well as take her from the exam itself."

"Right," Kakashi agreed, "Besides, I think we wouldn't be as discreet. Hinata should participate and I'll handle my student's sealing myself."

Sarutobi was quiet for a moment, thinking to himself before nodding, "Very well. Do try to collaborate on it sometime though. I think it would be very good practice for Hinata and somewhat easier for Sasuke." Both jounin bowed and took their leave, walking side by side.

* * *

Kakashi glanced over to Kurenai suspiciously, who stared straight ahead as she walked. "I didn't know Hinata practiced sealing." He suddenly said, "One would think that, because of her family history, she would avoid such a ninja art."

Kurenai knew what he was doing. He was trying to get more information out of her. It was natural, seeing as he was ANBU before she was, and by all rights had a sort of authority over her, especially if he decided to go back, but she knew better than to give him what he wanted.

"Hatake," She sighed, "I understand that, as shinobi, we try to gather all the information we can; whether it is about an enemy, a situation, or even fellow shinobi comrades. Information is knowledge and knowledge is power. However, if you want more information on my students, you'll have to go directly to the Lord Hokage about it, as I am bound by loyalty and orders to keep my mouth shut." With that, she walked off.

Kakashi stood dumbfounded for a moment. Kurenai was a bit of a hardass sure, but she never talked back and never walked away from a superior before. He wondered what exactly was going on with Team Eight.

* * *

Kakashi left with Sasuke, so the next round was about to begin. Hayate was still coughing, so the rest of the candidates waited anxiously until he finished to announce the next round.

Names flashed and cycled through the screen. Everyone drew a collective breath until ti landed on two names.

"Ha," Zaku smirked, "Who's the sucker who gets to fight me?"

Hinata smiled softly, "Shino, your name…"

Kiba grinned, "Hell yeah," He exclaimed, "Now everyone will see what Team Eight has to offer. Go get 'em Shino."

Shino rolled his eyes good naturedly as he started his decent, "Kiba, you should know better than to blurt such things out loud so casually. I'm not sure why you're so eager to put us in the spotlight."

Some people cringed at how harsh he sounded, but Kiba, however, didn't bat an eye, "Whatever." He brushed off, "We're fighting for our spots in the exams so everyone is bound to see how hard we've been training. Just go kick some ass already."

Kurenai found herself glaring at the opponent's sensei, sizing him up as her student and his walked down the stairs. Kurenai was confident in Shino's skills, of course, but she knew better than to underestimate an enemy.

"Do you think Shino can handle that guy?" Naruto asked Sakura. Kiba, who had been nearby, laughed at the question, "Don't you worry about Shino." He reassured Naruto, "Trust me, he's the last guy you would want to go up against."

Zaku and Shino faced each other, waiting for the match to begin. Shino took this time to study his opponent. He remembered him as the cocky Sound ninja that attacked Kabuto earlier in the exams. His teammate had a special ability with his village's namesake, so it would be safe to assume the same of him.

His arms were in a sling, but that could be a ploy, after all, ninja's were the masters of deception. It would be safe to make sure that he gather as much data as possible from the fight, therefore, he would have to let the opponent make the first move.

Hayate coughed, "You may begin."

Shino was a human, but when he fought, when he focused, he was a spider. Spiders are intelligent and dangerous. Spiders are calm and collected. Spiders are efficient and brutal. He was going to win.

 **The spider spins its web carefully, diligently, and with patience. It looks over its creation, noting the details of its own masterpiece, and waits.**

Shino took the opportunity to poke at Zaku's confidence, "If you fight me," He warned, "You may not recover. It's wise to give up while you still can."

He knew he hit a nerve when he saw the ninja glare. "Well I would," Zaku said, "But I've still got some movement in this arm." He 'carefully' took his left arm out of the sling, "All I need is one to beat you." He flexed the muscles in his arm, positioning it to attack. Shino noticed that the movement was smooth; too smooth for an injury. He was correct that the ninja was faking.

Shino calculated his options. He didn't know exactly what this ninja could do, or what he was capable of, but he knew that he needed to be prepared for anything. He commanded his kikaichu to wait at their entrances on his body.

 **The fly bumbles by, cocky and none the wiser. He doesn't see the trap he's about to enter. "Come into my web." Said the Spider to the fly.**

Zaku dashed forward, swinging his arm to throw a punch. Shino easily blocked it, throwing up his arm as a counter, but he noticed something. Zaku hadn't made a fist; instead, he left his palm exposed, giving Shino a glimpse of a little hole in his hand. In order to see what it did, he had to push a little further, "Is that all?" He taunted, "You couldn't beat me using both of your arms."

"Is that right?" Zaku yelled. Shino was close enough to hear the chakra in Zaku's arms sucking the air into the hole. That was probably a preparation for an attack. If he expelled the air in that hand into Shino's ear, he could very well deafen him and even cause fatal damage to the brain. Zaku grinned victoriously, "How about I try this? Blasting Sound Wave!"

Kikaichu rushed to protect his ears, blocking them up in time as Zaku attacked.

Shino had to admit that the wind hit him a little harder than he anticipated. His head spun as he fell to the floor and rolled from the force of the attack.

"Have enough yet, loser?" Zaku taunted.

'Shit. That really sucked.' Shino thought to himself as he began to stand, surprising Zaku.

The dizziness was beginning to go away and his blood was rushing. Shino was surprised to say that he was excited. He was excited to fight this ninja, to scare him, to hurt him. He didn't know what this meant, but he didn't mind. This made him feel human.

"There's no way!" Zaku exclaimed, "You shouldn't be standing after that!"

Shino smirked under his collar. His bugs began to buzz and chirp, loud enough for everyone to look around in fear and surprise. It was a bit twisted to want to instill fear in everyone as well, but it would ensure a bit of safety for his team and hesitation in everyone else. Plus, the look on their faces were priceless.

Finally, he let them out, almost laughing at Zaku's surprised face. His bugs poured out of his body, thousands of beetles roaming the room discreetly. He needed to distract Zaku long enough to plug the hole he had in his hand, maybe both of them, just to be sure. Shino commanded his bugs to gather behind his opponent, and waited.

"Cool," Zaku sneered, "Now that you've managed to gross us all out, what comes next?"

Shino tilted his head, looking behind Zaku, who turned to see what he was looking at. He exclaimed in horror at the army of beetles behind him. There was a massive swarm, thousands upon thousands of little bugs waiting for a command.

Shino lifted his hand, a small beetle on his fingers, "These are a rare breed of insects known as kikaichu. They're parasitic, attacking in swarms and eating the chakra of their prey. An army this size could suck you dry in less than a minute."

Speaking of which, Shino watched as a smaller swarm crawled their way up Zaku's legs to his arms. He was relieved to see that his distraction was working, as Zaku was too focused on the swarm behind him and Shino's words to feel them plug up the holes in his hand.

"Your only intelligent option is to forfeit the match." Shino continued, "You can't fight two opponents at once in your condition. If you focus your jutsu on me, my friends will consume you, and if you attack them, you'll have me to worry about."

Shino held up his fingers in the Ram sign, ready to attack, "Your defeat is certain and it will be very unpleasant for you. It's wise to always have an ace in the hole."

Zaku closed his eyes, shoulders shaking. Shino couldn't decide whether he was laughing or crying, but it didn't really matter, did it? He knew he had won.

Suddenly, there was a yell of rage, and Zaku was now aiming his hand at Shino, "Now you've done it!" He growled, "You've really pissed me off!" He aimed his other hand at the swarm, opening his palm and gathering his chakra. Shino lowered his hands and stuffed them in his pockets.

The Sound nin smirked to himself as he glared back at Shino, "It's just as you've said: Always have an ace in the hole, right?"

"What the fuck?" Kiba barked out, "I thought his arm was useless."

Zaku ignored the comment, yelling out a battle cry as he expelled his chakra to attack.

 **The spider slowly approaches his prey, fangs bared and dripping venom. The fly shakes and thrashes, but it's too late. He's trapped, and the spider is hungry.**

Shino watched in satisfaction as the chakra ran out of his arms instead, ripping the skin to shreds in a rush of wind, blood and chakra.

People gasped in surprise, expecting Zaku to prevail only to have his arms blow up. This was indeed a turn of events.

Zaku cried out in pain, ceasing his attack and dropping his arms, "What happened to my arms?" He yelled, "What's wrong with them?" He looked down to the holes in his hands, shocked to see bugs buried tightly within them

Shino took the opportunity to move closer, almost flickering behind him. "Earlier, when I was distracting you with my very helpful advice, I was sending some friends to plug up those bothersome holes in your hands. I even plugged both of them, just to be sure. It's true that an ace in the hole is good, but you know what?" Shino leaned in closely. His voice dropped, sinister and evil as he hissed out, "Two aces are even better."

 **The spider opens his jaws, wider and wider until finally...**

Zaku felt the killing intent behind him, and it reminded him or Orochimaru. There was a chill that unsettled him deeply, and he was angry to find out that he was in fact, scared out of his wits.

With the last bit of his fury fueling him, Zaku swung his arm to attack, ignoring the pain for a brief second until a new one replaced it.

 **He bites, his powerful jaws crushing and piercing, injecting venom into the fly. It's over.**

Shino, having anticipated the attack, had lifted his arm to retaliate, claws extended and impaling Zaku's arm. It was a reflex, but it still surprised him. He hadn't thought he would go as far as to stab him, even in his arm.

He briefly wondered what it would be like to use the other hand to shove the claws in under his chin, holding him in the air for everyone to see. 'No,' He thought quickly, 'I'm not that kind of shinobi.'

With that, Shino used his other hand to punch Zaku as hard as he could, sending him flying away and off of his claws.

Hayate walked over, bending down to check on Zaku, who groaned and twitched in pain. There was blood seeping out of his arms, which were practically mutilated from the chakra explosion in each of them. "I'd say this one is done." He muttered to himself before standing and clearing his throat, "The winner of the round is Aburame Shino."

Kiba and Hinata smiled, excited for their teammate.

Shino noticed Neji forming hand signs to activate his Byakugan and turned to Kurenai, who activated a strong genjutsu over Shino's body to hide his extra legs.

Neji was taken completely aback at what he saw, "I thought he was simply using a summoning jutsu to conjure so many insects," He said, "But I was wrong; they're living inside of him."

"Really? Inside of him?" Rock Lee yelled.

Might guy sighed, "Shino is apart of a clan here in the Hidden Leaf, a clan of insect users."

Neji nodded, "I've heard of them too," He added, "They say that when a bug master is born, he enters a sacred pact with the insects. He provides a home for their hives and lets them feed off of his chakra, and in return, they fight his battles for him."

"So you're saying that Shino is a master?" Lee asked carefully.

Neji nodded, deactivating his Byakugan as Shino walked back to his team, "It would appear so."

* * *

Kiba smirked as Shino took his place by their side, "Hey man," He said, roughly patting his teammate's back, "Great job out there." Shino huffed as he half-heartedly shrugged Kiba off, "Just be sure to keep focus so you can do the same." He said, having, once again, people cringe at the cruelness of his words.

Naruto growled and pointed a finger at Shino, "What's with you?" He yelled accusingly, "He's just trying to be nice, why do you have to be such an asshole?"

Kiba laughed loudly, throwing his head back as he did so, "That's just the way Shino talks," He explained, "I wouldn't worry about it too much. He has a hard time expressing himself. Right, Shino?" Shino in turn shrugged his shoulders, turning away from everyone who was now staring at him.

* * *

Once everything more or less calmed down, the next match was beginning. Kankuro of the Sand vs Tsurugi Misumi.

Shino found himself very interested, stepping closer to the railing to watch as Kankuro slung off the strange mummy on his back. After exchanging a few words, the two began. Misumi had the strange ability to dislocate all of his joints, using his chakra to control his body and constrict himself around Kankuro.

Hinata was fascinated, if not a little grossed out. She wondered what kind of training he had to endure to master the ability as he had.

Misumi, now wrapped around Kankuro, began to squeeze, threatening to break Kankuro's neck if he didn't concede. Kankuro had smirked and refused, ultimately pushing Misumi into killing him.

There were gasps around the room, Team Eight looked around to the other rookies and realized that they had never seen such a careless death before. It was an interesting thought, to think that Team Eight were practically desensitized to something as somber as death. Meanwhile, the other rookies were looking pale and scared of a body with a broken neck. Interesting indeed.

Hinata chanced a glance at Gaara, who looked on emotionlessly, before turning away in disinterest. She wondered as to what happened to him, or possibly between him and his siblings, that caused such a deep rift in their relationship.

As it would turn out, however, the victim that Misumi had wrapped around was in fact a decoy, a puppet. Kankuro revealed himself to be the mummy. He was a puppet master it seemed, as he used his chakra to control the puppet to grab onto Misumi and crush all of his bones, thus ending the match with him as the victor.

* * *

The next match was Ino and Sakura. Hinata didn't know much about them, only from what she observed and heard.

Sakura and Ino used to be friends, best friends, but then one day, they were unexpectedly at each other's throats. Hinata remembered seeing them walk to and from school every day when they were children, sitting together at lunch and in class. They laughed and played and Hinata had a deep desire to be a part of that, to have bonds so strong.

Suddenly, they sat as far away as they could from each other, they called each other ugly names and fought all of the time. She watched, concluding that the reason for their loathing towards each other was caused by a boy, by Uchiha Sasuke no less.

Hinata was, strangely, disappointed in them. They threw away such a beautiful friendship- something she never had with another female before- for a boy bent on revenge and hatred. She was sure that they knew next to nothing about the Uchiha, nothing meaningful anyways, and yet, they let their pettiness get in the way of what could have been a sisterhood.

The fight started. They exchanged a few blows, evenly matched.

Ino's stance and fighting style was a bit more sure and adept. She caught Sakura with a few blows and went in for a punch, but she hesitated and slapped her instead.

There was a moment of stillness as both females registered what had happened before Sakura took a stand and declared that she wasn't fighting Ino over Sasuke anymore, and mocked her once more. Ino visibly bristled, growing angry and yelling back, stating she wasn't going to go easy on sakura anymore.

In that moment, both kunoichi took off their headbands and tied it around their foreheads. Hinata was a little proud of them for finally deciding to take their training and fighting more seriously, even if it was still fueled by a rivalry.

They fought long and hard, beating each other senseless. Sakura was surprisingly good, using basic jutsus in otherwise well thought out strategies. Ino was just as good, however, but Hinata could tell she was floundering.

She was confused as to how Sakura was just as skilled as she was, asking her how she had gotten so strong. Sakura bragged about her training, going as far as to make fun of Ino for paying more attention to her looks above everything else.

Ino had lost it.

She reached up and cut nearly all of her hair, throwing it at Sakura in a rage. Her teammates were surprised, leaning against the rails in shock as Ino attempted her Mind Transfer Jutsu.

As it would turn out, she tricked Sakura, pretending to have missed before she revealed that she infused chakra into her hair to create a special binding rope to hold Sakura in place. She actually activated her jutsu once more, but was stopped when Sakura managed to push her out.

In the end, both girls were evenly matched and managed a double knock out. Neither had won, but Hinata knew that it was for the best. After all, neither girl would survive the next round.

Hinata noticed that when they woke up, sitting side by side, there was a feeling of closeness once again between them, even if it was just a bud.

* * *

Choji was called up next fighting against that Temari girl from the Sand. Choji used his expansion jutsu to try and crush her, but he didn't seem to have any control over his movements.

Temari revealed the large fan on her back and explained that she used it to control the wind. She managed to catch Choji in a cyclone jutsu, cutting into his skin and injuring him. He landed back first on her fan, effectively knocking him out. She tossed him off, walking back to her place as the medic nin took him away.

Hinata chanced a glance at Shikamaru, who glared openly at Temari. She knew that Chohi was his best friend, after all, they grew up together, and seeing him hurt made him borderline furious.

Ino didn't bother to hide her rage, calling Temari obscene names and cursing her to and from.

* * *

Kiba looked at the board and smirked. He was up next. He grinned at Hinata and Shino who smiled back wished him luck. Kurenai ruffled his hair and scratched Akamaru behind the ear, giving him words of encouragement.

With Akamaru on his head, he walked down the steps to face his opponent.

TenTen was a bit nervous to be facing against Kiba. She briefly thought back to their first encounter and shivered. She didn't know a rookie was capable of such killer intent. She put on a brave face and walked down to face him, cringing at Lee and Guy's overly enthusiastic cheering.

Both genin stepped forward, Kiba smirking and TenTen determined.

Kiba knew that he needed to assess her skills before he had an actual game plan. She was more experienced and he had never seen her fight. The Inuzuka clan was known for their prowess in hand-to-hand combat as well as fighting with a ninja dog, but no one knew about his weapon. He needed to keep that a secret until he needed it most.

"Inuzuka Kiba and TenTen of the Leaf," Hayate announced, "You've been chosen to be our next fight. Are there any objections?"

"No sir." TenTen replied.

"Nope." Kiba followed.

"In that case, you may begin."

TenTen immediately jumped back and waited, trying to see what Kiba would do. Kiba, however, stood still, staring back and studying her. While he was playing it cool, he was nervous. He wasn't sure what he should do. He figured he should play it confident and poke at her.

"Are you going to wait until I attack to try and see what I'm packing?" He mocked lightly, "If that's what you want to do, I'll play along. But be careful because one hit is all I'll need." Tenten didn't react much, but he knew that she was bothered by his words.

Kiba pulled Akamaru out of his jacket and placed him on the ground, rubbing his ears as he did so. TenTen watched carefully, wary of his calm demeanor.

He clasped his hands together and gathered his chakra, taking deep, calming breaths. 'Ninja Art of Beast Mimicry: All Four Jutsu.' He lowered himself to the ground, feeling his nails and teeth grow and sharpen.

After his transformation was complete, he watched TenTen take a step back in fear and caution. He got ready and charged, driving his elbow into her stomach. She coughed up spit and a little bit of blood, flying back and skidding across the floor.

Kiba smirked, "I warned you." He called out, assessing her condition before taking a quick step left. He barely dodged a kunai knife. TenTen stood shakily, clutching her stomach and breathing hard, "That was a good hit," She complimented, "But you won't get the chance to do it again."

She pulled an array of kunai and shurikens from her pouch and threw them, straight and true. Kiba moved out of the way but found himself having to run as TenTen threw more and more weapons, almost too many to count.

TenTen's aim was perfect, managing nicks and cuts along Kiba's arms. He was struggling, still a beginner in the weapons aspect of ninja talents. If he could get in close and take out her arms, he could win easily. All he needed was a distraction.

Kiba gave a low sounding whistle, signaling to his companion. Akamaru, understanding completely, ran around behind Tenten and jumped off of the wall, landing on her back. TenTen stumbled, giving Kiba the chance to get close enough to attack.

She barely dodged in time, turning and shoving a kunai out to stop him. Kiba had moved Akamaru out of the way and took a kunai cut to the hand. He threw himself back to avoid more serious damage.

TenTen threw more shurikens, smirking to herself as she used ninja wire to pull them back and wrap them around Kiba's feet, managing to trip him.

Once he fell, she brought another handful of weapons down on his back. Kiba grabbed Akamaru and threw him out of the way, throwing up his arms as a shield and rolling to avoid most of the damage. He felt a few punctures in his arms and legs, but he didn't feel as much pain as he thought. It must have been the adrenaline from the fight.

He noted that she was only using her weapons, constantly moving herself a long enough distance to use them. His tetsubo would be otherwise useless but he could have it as a last resort, using it only when he had her completely by surprise.

"So," He chuckled as he pulled the shurikens from his body, "You're a weapon user."

TenTen smirked to herself in pride, "That's right," She answered, "You're looking at The Hidden Leaf's next weapon's mistress. I have plenty more where that came from, too, so don't you worry."

He stood and shook off the dust, "I hope so," He taunted, "It would be a shame if you had to actually fight me. Seems like you focused your time and energy on your aim, so I'm guessing you're trash at hand-to-hand combat, am I right?"

TenTen scowled and drew a scroll from her pouch, "I won't need it to defeat you." She declared, presenting it for him to see, "I can end this match easily with this alone."

"We'll see about that." Kiba retorted, "Ready Akamaru?" Amakaru barked in response as Kiba grabbed his own kunai, throwing it to startle the girl. It worked, as she moved to dodge.

He then grabbed two smoke bombs and threw them at her feet, encasing her in a thick purple cloud. Kiba threw himself in the smoke with her, landing a few hits to draw her out. As she ran to escape, Akamaru caught her by surprise and bit into her arm. She cried out in pain and threw him off, covering the wound with her hand. Akamaru landed gracefully on his feet, running to Kiba's side to fight again.

"What did I tell you?" He asked, scratching Akamaru's ears. Akamaru barked a laugh, wagging his tail.

TenTen was finally frustrated and was finding herself to be quickly running out of options. She had to do her best to keep Kiba at a distance to attack, but with Akamaru getting in the way, she wasn't going to get very far.

She briefly checked her arm and was thankful that the bite wasn't too deep, but it was going to make her aim a bit more wobbly.

TenTen had noticed as they fought, Kiba did his best to keep Akamaru safe. He risked getting injured and taking the most damage so Akamaru didn't have to.

She wasn't one to hurt animals, in fact she loved them, but she knew that the longer Akamaru was in the picture, the more likely she was to fail, and by incapacitating Akamaru, she could fight Kiba one-on-one and win.

With a heavy heart, she knew what she had to do.

Gripping the scroll once again, she ran, leaping and flipping into the air, she unraveled the scroll and spun, seemingly suspended in the air. Using her chakra, she unsealed weapon after weapon from the scroll, throwing them all in an endless barrage.

Kiba moved quickly, outrunning her attack. Akamaru ran the opposite way, trying to find a way to distract the weapons user once more.

TenTen, expecting the separation, directed a barrage of weapons at the ninja dog, managing a hit strong enough to have the dog to cry out in pain.

"Akamaru!" Kiba screamed out, running straight to his best friend. "Are you okay boy?" He asked, carefully moving the pup so he could see the injury. Akamaru whimpered in pain, shaking and crying whenever Kiba moved him too much.

TenTen looked over his shoulder, wincing as she saw the pup covered in red. She hadn't meant to hurt him so much, but she needed to do everything she could to pass the exam.

Kiba whipped his head around to face her, eyes narrowed and angry, "You're going to pay for that." He growled, jumping up and slashing at her face.

TenTen flipped out of the way and threw another barrage of weapons, to which Kiba dodged. He threw them back with deadly accuracy, surprising TenTen and her teammates. While his technique could still use work, he was surprisingly aiming and throwing well. No one thought that Kiba was that good with weapons, considering most of his attacks were hand-to-hand combat.

While she was distracted with avoiding the knives, Kiba threw another smoke bomb to distract TenTen, and used his superior speed to rush in and punch her in the gut, landing a successful hit.

However, TenTen had used a substitution, learning from the last time Kiba threw smoke. She came up from behind him and wrapped him in ninja wire, pulling tightly so he couldn't escape. She rolled out another scroll, twirling it around herself and kicked him onto the floor, where he landed on top of more weapons. Kiba gritted his teeth, refusing to cry out in pain, and stood to attempt to free himself.

"I'm not finished," TenTen said, rolling out another scroll. She threw spears around him at his feet and summoned a throwing dart, wrapping it around the spears and effectively trapping Kiba within them. "You're trapped," She smirked, "I win."

Kiba laughed, "You sure about that?" He asked, glancing behind her.

TenTen didn't have time to react as she felt a pair of teeth bite into her arm once more, this time deeper than the last. With the pain shooting up her arm, she released the hold she had on Kiba and fell back.

Akamaru was attached to her arm, uninjured but still red. She managed to pry him off, throwing him away from her with a shout of pain. Akamaru landed perfectly on his feet, jumping onto Kiba back who stood free from the wire.

"Akamaru has a special pill made by and for the Inuzuka Clan." Kiba explained, "Once he takes this, he's much more powerful and able to perform special clan techniques with me. I knew you would try to hurt him, so we devised a plan to make you think he was incapable of fighting to gain an advantage."

Kiba smirked maniacally throwing this hands together to perform a hand sign, "Now, let's have some fun. Ninja Art of Beast Mimicry: Man Beast Clone."

Akamaru turned into a clone of Kiba in that moment, the both of them engulfed in chakra. TenTen knew she was in trouble now, but she refused to give up.

Suddenly, they were attacking. TenTen did her best to avoid their claws, rolling and flipping away the best she could. She didn't have time to summon anymore scrolls and she was running low on chakra as it was.

Kiba and Akamaru managed to slash her arms and legs pretty good, as she stumbled around from their assault but she managed to stave off the worst by donning a simple kunai, slashing back with equal vigor.

Kiba and Akamaru ran straight towards her, claws extended, "Man Beast Taijutsu Ultimate Technique: Fang Over Fang!" It was a direct hit. TenTen had attempted to slow them down with anything she could throw but it was of no use. Their attack was too powerful for her to stop.

She flew into the air, but still attempted one last move. Kiba smirked, and stopped the attack to land on the ground below her. He pulled his hand pulling back to meet the other, which was winding up for some sort of attack. TenTen was unsure of what was happening but she had to move quickly in order to gain some upper hand once more.

As if in slow motion, a weapon revealed itself, stretching and expanding. TenTen had stopped whatever she was doing and watched in a mixture of shock and awe as Kiba stood firm, swinging the weapon over his head and then at TenTen as she fell within range, connecting the tetsubo with her back and sending her flying into the wall hard.

She was done, unable to move and passing out in pain and exhaustion.

Hayate moved to check her, confirming she was still breathing and calling over medics to assist her to the med bay. "TenTen is unable to fight," He announced, "Kiba is the winner."

Kiba, however was still covered in blood and wounds. The medical ninja insisted he follow after them to get patched up. He cast a glance over to his team, who waved him goodbye as he left.

It was time for the next round.

* * *

Shikamaru was up next, disappointing Naruto and Lee who were itching to fight. He himself didn't deem that enthusiastic grumbling to himself as he walked down. He passed Team Eight, casting a glance at Hinata who was still watching the doors Kiba exited through. He didn't like seeing her so worried, though he knew he should be focusing on other things.

"Hey, Hinata," He called. A pair of lovely pearls entered his vision and he suddenly found himself speechless; there were tears in her eyes and her face was pink from holding them back. It was saddening but still cute and endearing.

Shikamaru cleared his throat and looked away, "They'll be okay." He said, motioning to the door, "Your teammate and his dog are a bit of a drag, but they fought well. They only got a little banged up and will be back before you know it, so stop looking so sad and worried, it's troublesome."

Hinata felt herself blush in embarrassment. She knew that Shikamaru was trying to cheer her up, and though she didn't know why, she appreciated it. She rubbed her eyes and smiled shyly, "Thank you, Shikamaru." She whispered. He waved her off as he continued down the stairs, smiling lazily to himself.

"Are you done talking to your little girlfriend?" Kin taunted, "I'd like to get this fight over with."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed, "This is such a drag. Do I really have to fight a girl?" He faced her with an otherwise bored expression, thinking back to Hinata's smile.

The match began. Hinata found herself leaning against the rails to better watch the fight. She didn't know what to make of Shikamaru's sudden interest, but she wasn't complaining. After all, it was mostly harmless.

He formed the hand sign for his shadow possession jutsu, ready to attack. Kin taunted him, apparently already having seen the attack before. This angered Shikamaru, as he yelled at her to shut up.

Hinata never really heard him raise his voice over the lazy drawl like almost every other Nara she encountered, so it was quite a shock to hear it.

Kin was apparently a senbon user, as she threw a pair with bells attached that had a strange ringing vibration that affected the brain. Shikamaru was on his knees, weak and disoriented. He started to hallucinate, eyes darting and searching for the real Kin.

He had to think fast, as she was throwing senbon to slowly injure and kill him. He had to preoccupy her, but seeing as how she was focused on the torturing, it wouldn't be that hard.

He managed to cast a shadow, catching her within his trap. He then pulled out a shuriken, shocking Kin and everyone else. He seemed amused, almost enjoying himself at this point. Hinata watched, enthralled by the fight.

He threw his shuriken, causing Kin to throw hers as well. Shikamaru gracefully dodged, throwing himself back into a bridge. Kin smirked as she unwillingly followed his lead, hitting her head hard against the wall behind her.

Shikamaru chuckled to himself, chancing a glance at a smiling Hinata before he lifted himself upright, explaining her flaw was her not being more aware of her surroundings. He was declared the winner, earning cheers from Ino.

He walked back up to his spot, glancing at Hinata as he passed. She smiled wider and bashfully congratulated him, to which he smirked and winked back at her.

Ino was watching the two interact from her spot and grinned mischievously. Something juicy was definitely going on here.

* * *

Kiba came back just as Naruto was called up next to fight against another leaf village genin, Yoroi Akado. He was a member of Kabuto's team, therefore Team Eight were wary.

Naruto didn't sense the danger and was admittedly was talking himself up, bragging loudly that he would win and pass onto the finals with no problems.

Hinata found herself smiling, refreshed by his confidence. It always warmed her heart to see that Naruto was ready for any fight and was prepared to win no matter the circumstances.

The fight began, Naruto attacked Akado with gusto but found himself weak and tired suddenly. As it turned out, Akado had the ability to absorb chakra and then use it as his own.

Naruto was fighting to stay on his feet, finding it more and more difficult with each blow.

Akado finally slammed him to the ground by his head, sucking the remaining chakra out. He mocked Naruto and his strength, claiming that he was a doomed failure.

Sakura called out to him, screaming for him to fight back. Hinata wished she could do the same, instead silently cheering him on with her teammates passively watching by her side.

Naruto, finding courage and strength within himself, managed to kick Akado off, taking a moment to breathe. He stood up, listening to Sakura and Lee cheer him on, "I'm not going to let a jerk like you win." He declared, "I'm not going to give up, not until I beat you. I'm going to become the Leaf's future Hokage, but only after I kick your ass. Believe it!"

Akado mocked Naruto once more, before attacking again, faster this time. Naruto dodged, avoiding Akado's attacks in the nick of time. He struggled, as even a brush of his hair left him weak once more, but he persisted.

Naruto conjured his clones, surprising some of the spectators that he was able to mold enough chakra to do so, including Akado. He attacked all at once, each poofing away in failure and defeat. He tried combos and planning around Akado but he was no match; Akado had him beat.

He summoned another gaggle of clones, attacking together once more. Akado dissipated all of them, or so he thought. Naruto had used a transformation jutsu to turn himself into a giant shuriken while Akado was busy defeating the other clones. He threw it with all of his might, and when Akado ducked under it, Naruto dropped the henge and kicked him hard.

He then attacked with another set of clones, copying Sasuke's Lion's Barrage, and making it his own.

The attack left Akado incapacitated and thus Naruto was the winner.

* * *

Hinata was happy, pulling out a special ointment she had made for her teammates and one knuckle-headed ninja. Kurenai smiled and stood behind her in support, patting her back in reassurance. Hinata took a deep breath and thrusted out the jar to the oblivious blonde, face red and steaming, "Naruto," She nearly whispered, "This is for you."

Naruto looked at the jar dumbly, not knowing what to do, "Uh," He said intelligently, "What is it Hinata?" He asked.

Hinata, too caught up in her bashful nature, ducked her head lower. Kurenai smiled and patted her back once more, "It's a healing ointment she has made." She explained for her student, "It heals wounds and promotes chakra circulation. Take it."

Naruto eagerly took the jar from her hands, fingers brushing along her knuckles. Hinata felt faint at the touch and sight of his happiness, "Wow thanks a lot Hinata!" He smiled, teeth shining and face bright. Hinata nodded, too starstruck to do much else.

"You know," He said, "There are a lot of tough people here. I hope you win your match, whenever that is." And with that he walked off, calling to Sakura about the ointment.

Hinata sighed, burying her face in her hands to stop the overwhelming feeling of embarrassment and shame in her bashful nature. She tried really hard to talk to him, but she was always in awe, always too shy to get a single word in.

Kurenai smiled at her and guided her back to her spot between the boys, "It's ok Hinata," She soothed, "One day you'll have the courage, but until then, just keep working on it, ok?" Hinata nodded looking at the board change in names as they walked.

She stopped dead in her tracks and stared at the board in horror.

* * *

What were the odds that she would have to face her cousin? Her tormentor?

A sickening feeling wormed its way in her stomach and up her throat. She felt her heart racing and her breath shortening. Was she swaying? It felt like the floor was rippling under her. The room was spinning so quickly, the lights were blinding and the voices were laughing, becoming louder and more angry. It was too much, too much, TOO MUCH!

"Hinata," Kurenai's gentle voice pulled her consciousness from the back of her head. Hinata looked up with tearful eyes at Kurenai's loving ruby orbs, "You don't have to fight him, Hinata," She consoled, "You can walk away if you're not ready. We don't see it as cowardice, we don't see it as weakness. We will still love you."

Kiba and Shino stood beside her in support, holding her hands tightly. She knew they would still love her, but it didn't stop the fear of disappointing them, the fear of never being ready.

She knew what she had done to gain his hatred, but she remembered a different time when he loved her too. Playing tag in the gardens, feeding the koi in the ponds, daisy chains and wild flowers in his hair. She wanted to reach out to him, to understand, to fix. She wanted her brother back, but she didn't know how to repair what had been broken for so long.

She did know, however, that the longer she avoided his wrath, avoided this fight, she would never be truly free of him, of the Hyuga's hate. She decided to fight for her life.

Taking a deep breath, she looked up, determined and brave, "I will do my best to win, Sensei." She swore. The pride that shone in everyone's eyes fueled her confidence as she turned on her heel and walked down the steps to meet her cousin, who was impatiently waiting for her.

* * *

"Who would have thought we would fight against each other, Princess?" There was that accursed nickname again, sripping in venom and hatered. Hinata said nothing in reply, standing stone still and tall. "I may have forgotten," He spat upon her lack of response, "That you think you're too good to talk to a lowly branch member like me. Let me remind you then, of why you will lose." He smirked upon finally getting a reaction, as Hinata had lowered her head and closed her eyes.

While it was safe to assume she did so in shame or fear, she was trying to search, trying to find a way to survive this encounter. She had gotten nothing, too focused on his hatred and negativity to find her way in the future. She was beginning to think she had made a mistake.

"-too weak to properly face me, hiding behind your hair and status every spar we partake in." Hinata had to sigh at that one. If Neji truly believed that Hinata's status meant anything, especially when he was able to abuse and demean her in front of everyone in the family, then he was not as great a genius as everyone had said.

The only thing her status was good for, was keeping her from dying by his hand, and even then, that was pushing it. No one would care that she died, but the elders cared if she, a main branch member, died to a side branch member. It would be a signal, a victory of some sort, that the slaves of the clan could rise up and fight back. The elders could not allow that to happen, they had to make sure they stayed hopeless to ensure their obedience.

Neji, having finished his monologue, got into his stance and gave her a final warning, "Give up now and save yourself a painful loss."

Hinata hesitated. Was all of this really worth it? Was fighting to the death, was fighting at all what needed to be done? Was this one moment worth all of the abuse that would follow afterwards if she lost?

"Hinata!" Naruto was shouting her name, "Don't let him talk to you like that! Show him what you got!" Hinata's head snapped up to him, leaving her speechless. DId he really have that much faith in her abilities? Did he really believe in her?

"What are you waiting for? Kick his ass already; you're driving me insane!" Naruto was about ready to jump down with her, Sakura holding the back of his jacket to keep him still.

Hinata smiled gently, happy to be encouraged and recognized by her greatest admiration. Naruto would fight, not taking the insults lightly. He would never give up or back down.

Hinata looked to her team. Shino nodded once, Kiba gave her a thumbs up, and Kurenai smiled back at her. Her team believed in her too. She looked to Ibiki, and while he didn't look pleased, he was proud and confident in her. Anko made a fist, a signal to fight and the Hokage looked on past the smoke of his pipe, smiling. She even caught Shikamaru's eyes in a passing glance. He was frowning but nodded his encouragement.

All these people believed in her and knew that she was worth more than her fleeting title and the shadow cast by her prodigy cousin. They were ready to see what she was made of, and damn it, she would show them her strength.

She slid easily into her first position, which mimicked the Hyuga's Gentle Fist with a few altercations of her own. Neji assumed it was due to her incompetence in their family's fighting style and smirked, chuckling to himself as he prepared to fight, "I warned you." He sneered.

Hinata didn't hear the word begin, but she saw Neji's body tense as he stepped forward to attack and strike at her chest. Taking a step back, Hinata centered her gravity evenly and parried the blow, moving to the side and ramming her shoulder into Neji's exposed flank with a strong shout. There was no need to use chakra, as raw power and strength sent Neji flying back in a heap.

There was a moment of shocked silence in the arena, even the Hokage was surprised at the speed in which Hinata sent Neji to the ground. Kiba's snort broke the tension as he hid his guffaw in his hands. He was near tears at seeing Neji sitting on his ass, staring at Hinata who stood above him.

Neji, brought back by the laughter, jumped to his feet and charged again, attacking with a new fury. Hinata slipped into her stance once more and faced him. She practically danced around his attacks, spinning on her feet and flipping around him. She fought back, of course, her powerful attacks laced with chakra doing damage and hurting Neji as he did his best to block and retaliate.

Hinata realized after some time that couldn't block much longer, as she noticed Neji sneakily curving his hand and blocking a chakra point in her arms.

She flipped back, pushing chakra into her arms to see how many he had gotten. A dull pain ran through them. There were more than ten blocked in each arm, and while she hastily unblocked them once more, the damage had already been done. She needed to be more careful now.

Neji didn't give her much room to plan her next attack, as he was already chasing her down, hands ablaze with chakra. He landed a strong hit to her shoulder and threw another at her head. Hinata ducked under the strike and turned, keeping her back to him as she stood straight.

Neji was surprised to see Hinata's eyes peering at him from over her shoulder, back completely exposed. What was this outlandish stance? it was so painfully un-Hyuga to turn one's back in a fight, especially to an enemy.

Taking advantage of his surprise, Hinata performed the Peacock Kick, landing it perfectly. As his head fell, she quickly lowered her leg and swung it impossibly high to kick him back up. Neji didn't have the chance to retaliate, as Hinata Immediately struck him with a palm to the solar plexus.

Pain rippled through him as he skidded back, but he remained on his feet. His chakra was beginning to dwindle, but he knew that Hinata was in equally short supply, as her chakra was weak from his earlier attacks, so the damage was not as extensive. She was in just as much pain as he was and breathing heavily as well.

"I see you've gotten better," He spat, "But without Hyuga methods. You've been acting braver lately, still timid and weak, however. Though you're improving, it makes no difference. You are still the Hyuga embarrassment; your own father has no faith in you. What are you hoping to accomplish? What are you trying to prove? You think you're so great now, don't you? The main branch member destined to defeat the side branch, just as all the others in your status and those before you. You act so high and mighty while there are others suffering beneath you. You know nothing of our pain."

Hinata looked to him, and suddenly saw everything so clearly. He was jealous, he was hurt and he was confused. All of his life, he was meant to be someone great, and it was all taken away by people with more power, simply because they could.

She remembered a time when it was rumored that Neji was to be heir in place of Hinata, that he would be taught main branch techniques due to his gift. But when Hanabi was born and began to show talent in the Hyuga arts as well, he was branded and pushed to the side, a lowly servant once more. He had never gotten the chance to improve and learn by the Hyuga as he believed Hinata did.

"I may be a main branch member," Hinata's voice was heard loud and clear, "But you are not dense that you cannot see the 'benefits' of my status, nor are you deaf to the whispers and lectures. You are not unaware of the constant situations I'm put in as 'heiress' to the main branch.

"I understand what pain you go through, but you understand nothing of me. You hold me accountable for everything that's wrong in your life because I'm the easiest target, instead of taking action and responsibility for yourself. Even with you putting me on such a high pedestal so unwillingly, you still look down on me as if I were the lowest thing on earth."

Hinata smiled bitterly, "But you must know, brother, that you and I are the same. You don't want to admit it, but we are. I see through you, I see your pain and suffering, I see you struggle and your despair. However, you are too blinded by your own misplaced hatred for me to see that, and for that, I truly feel sorry for you."

Neji stood and charged once more, screaming in hate-filled rage as curses spewed from his mouth. His next attack was sloppy from anger, so Hinata was able to easily dodge and lower herself into the Art of Phoenix.

Neji's eyes followed her, widening in surprise as she stared back bravely. He no longer saw fear as she gazed up at him, he saw everything she had been put through: depression, anguish and hopelessness; but above all, he saw something dark and evil, the intent to kill under a thin layer of determination.

Hinata rose, gathering her chakra into both of her hands, preparing to attack.

This was it. The killing blow. Neji moved his hands to strike first, but it was too late. Hinata had the advantage, landing the next hit and shut down his chakra system so quickly, his heart and lungs would violently rupture.

Her eyes twitched.

* * *

"Hinata," A gentle voice called. Hinata turned her attention from the dirt floor to the soft eyes of her cousin. He had his arms out, posed to defend with a few spots of dirt on his face and training clothes, but was deceptively relaxed and loose.

He was older, more handsome than when he was a genin. His hair flew gracefully in the wind, tied into a low ponytail like his father's, and Hinata found herself mentally counting the amount of wild daisies she could put into his hair.

"Are you alright, Hinata?" He asked, concerned, "You've suddenly stopped your attack."

Hinata looked around for a moment, seeing they were in the farthest area of the Hyuga compound, so as to not be disturbed. She wasn't sure of what was the matter, but she had the sudden need to stop.

"Yes brother, I'm alright." She rubbed her aching forehead and sighed, "I may have pushed myself to the limit today. I'm not in the right mindset to continue training. I apologize for wasting your time." She bowed lowly, earning a smile from Neji.

"No time wasted," He assured her, "I myself was feeling weary. Would you like to join me for some tea? I believe your favorite shop has a new recipe."

Hinata smiled thankfully, "That sounds wonderful."  
After a shower, both cousins walked through the shop in peaceful silence. Hinata wound her arm in Neji's, who happily took it as he led on. Hinata watched the hustle and bustle of the market area as they walked, remembering and discovering it all once more.

Neji led her into the shop, ordering her dango and cup of water along with their tea. They sat in their usual booth by the window, where they could see the streets clearly. Occasionally, they would see the other Rookie Nine, or members from team Gai, but all knew to stay away from the cousins when they were alone. It was their time together only.

They drank and made small talk, laughing and smiling at each other the entire time. Hinata never felt more at home with anyone in her family until this moment.

Neji noticed the look on Hinata's face and couldn't help but smile, "What has you so happy?" He asked playfully. Hinata's own smile was so brilliant and shining, Neji felt the warmth of the sun with it. "I'm glad I have you back Neji," She whispered, "I've missed you so much."

Neji, feeling the raw emotion behind her words, hid his face behind his cup as he took a sip, overwhelmed but joyful. He didn't have to say anything, because Hinata already knew.

He had missed her too.

* * *

Blood ran down her chin. Neji looked horrified as Hinata coughed out blood on his arms hands, staining them bright red.

Everyone was confused. What had happened? She had him defeated, but now…

Hinata had slowed down, having hesitated from her vision. Neji, too immersed by the flash and color of her eyes, didn't stop his attack and hit her straight through the heart. Her heart had stopped for a moment, but thankfully, his chakra was weak enough to not have caused fatal damage in that instant.

The room was spinning and her legs shook as she tried to steady herself. She felt herself sway and land on Neji, who was still in shock. Hinata smiled at his familiar scent of mint and green tea, his favorite, and attempted to wrap her arms around him, delirious from the injury and vision.

"I've missed you brother." She whispered, sliding off of his shoulders and falling to the floor, "I've missed you so much."

Kurenai caught her before she could fall, cradling Hinata in her arms and opening her jacket to assess her. She heard Hinata's heart slowing down and panicked, calling the medics to take her.

Kiba and Shino ran alongside Naruto in fear and worry. Kiba was pacing and panicked, ready to cry and rage at anyone nearby as Shino stood stone still, bugs buzzing in agitation and ready to make a mess.

Kiba turned to Neji and lunged, to which Kakashi intervened and held him back, "Kiba," He warned, "I know you're upset but there are rules. You can have your chance at Neji some other time."

"Fuck you!" He yelled back, "That bastard needs to pay for what he's done to Hinata!"

"Kiba's right!" Naruto yelled, "He was calling her weak and other names! He doesn't have the right!"

Neji said nothing as he watched Hinata being carried away on a stretcher, twitching and slightly seizing. He turned to Naruto and glared, "It's your fault," He hissed, "You shouldn't have encouraged her to fight. A weakling should know their place, and that includes you."

Naruto was about to punch Neji's lights out until Rock Lee stepped in his way, arms out and peaceful, "Naruto," He consoled, "It's not worth it. Neji is way out of your league, and you'll have a chance to fight him in the finals."

Naruto pondered this for a moment, a determined look on his face. He leaned down, dipping his hands in the blood Hinata shed and held it out in a fist towards Neji. "With this blood," He announced dramatically, "I vow to win. Believe it."

* * *

Gaara watched all of this from the stands, staring at the small puddle of blood Hinata left behind. Even from where he stood, far away, he could smell it. It smelled sweet and pure and innocent. It smelled like something Shikaku couldn't wait to get a taste of.

The demon's voice echoed in the back of his head, chanting over and over to kill her, to maim her, to devour her. He had to. It's what mother wants. Mother wants that girl's blood. He can't rest until he gets it for her.

'Yes," Gaara thought, 'I'll get it for her. Mother will thank me for this blood.'

He distantly heard his name being called by the proctor, 'I'll just have to get this next fool out of the way first.'

* * *

Hinata woke up to the sound of muttering and talking outside of her room and the distinct sound of a heart monitor next to her head. She strained her ears as best as she could with the awful headache and pounding blood in her ears.

"-a lot of heart damage… lucky that she even… bed rest…"

Hinata couldn't make out a majority, but she had an idea. She sighed and laid her head back on her pillow, closing her eyes and listening to the heart monitor once more. Her door opened, and she turned her head to see a nurse walk in, followed by her team and Ko. Kiba held a wrapped box, Shino held a few books and Ko and Kurenai held two different sets of flowers.

"Oh!" The nurse exclaimed in surprise, "Lady Hyuga, you're awake. I'll come back to take your vitals in a bit. Your team and caretaker are here to see you, so I'll let you have a moment to talk with them."

She exited promptly, closing the door gently behind her.

Hinata looked at all of the concerned faces and felt tears well up in her eyes, "So," She croaked, "What did they say?" Kiba brought her a glass of water and turned to Kurenai who smoothed her hair back into place. Hinata felt the anxiety build, causing her heart monitor to speed as well.

"You were very lucky to have survived." Kurenai started slowly, "The doctors were able to get you under a stable condition within minutes. If Neji had added any more chakra to the attack, your ninja career and life would have been over. Thankfully, the damage wasn't too extensive and you should be fine after one week of bed rest and a month of light training."

Hinata looked up hopefully, "You mean…?" She whispered, unsure of what to say.

Ko smiled, tears in his eyes as he hugged Hinata, "You are going to be just fine, Lady Hinata. You'll still be able to be a ninja without any complications."

Hinata burst into tears, hugging her team and Ko close. She knew the risk she took in letting Neji hit her, but after her vision, she couldn't help it. She knew that there was a chance to save him from his darkness, from himself, and she was going to take it.

She asked Kiba about the final match: Gaara vs Rock Lee. Hinata listened on in horror as he grimly recounted the awful details.

Lee struggled in the beginning, seeing as Gaara's sand defense was perfect. But after taking off his impressively heavy weights he was so fast that Gaara's sand couldn't keep up, and he was able to hurt Gaara. But it soon became clear that Lee was pushing himself physically, as his fighting style was putting a large strain on his body.

He managed to get Gaara down, and everyone thought he had won, but Gaara was still able to perform one last attack. WIth the last bit of his energy, he wrapped Lee's arm and leg in sand and crushed them, breaking everything within the limbs. He even attempted to kill him, but Guy stepped in the way before that could happen.

Lee was currently in the ICU being worked on.

Hinata felt bad. Though she didn't know Rock Lee, personally or otherwise, she feared for him and his shinobi career. If he wasn't able to recover…

She forced her mind elsewhere, focusing on Kiba and Shino who now talked about the final part of the exams, which they had one month to prepare for. Kiba was going to train with Shino under Anko and Ibiki, as Yamato had a mission to attend.

Hinata was happy for her team, promising to be cheering them on from the stands. Ko supported them as well, wishing them luck and victories.

Eventually, their visit was cut short, as the nurse had to take Hinata's vitals and visitor hours were officially over. Hinata would be released after two days so that her heart could be closely monitored. With hugs and kisses, Hinata received her gifts and bid farewell to her team.

* * *

Gaara grinned to himself as he watched Hinata's team leave. He waited in the trees outside, staring into her window as he waited. The nurses would be a pain, but he figured that he could wait until they left as well.

He anticipated her bloodshed, relishing the memory of the sweet smell she gave off. He would do it quick, saving time and keeping himself safe from blame or suspicion, and then he would continue his mission.

* * *

Night fell and Hinata was still awake, she was reading one of the books her teammate gave her, seemingly engrossed in it. The nurse had just been in the room to check on her, so he had some time before they came back.

As silent as ever, Gaara used his sand to sneak into Hinata's window, causing her to jump. He relished in what he perceived as fear, and entered the room himself, grinning menacingly.

Hinata didn't move, watching him as he made his way over to her bed. She closed her book and set it aside politely, "Good evening Gaara." She greeted, "I'm assuming you're here to kill me?"

If he was surprised he didn't show it. Hinata nodded, more to herself than anything, "I see," She said solemnly, "If you would do me a favor, though, can you sit and talk with me for a minute. The nurse won't be back for a few hours, and it would be nice to talk for a moment. I have something I would like to tell you."

Gaara hesitated, he was thrown off by the face that Hinata accepted death so easily if only he would listen to what she had to say. On the other hand, he was impatient to kill her, to bathe in her blood and lose himself with her murder.

"I think you're lost," She started, which earned sand to wrap around her throat. She choked but didn't falter, "You're full of hatred for everyone and everything. I won't pretend to understand your feelings, but I will say that it's going to be better. You will become Kazekage, you will lead your village into an era of peace, and they will love you.

"Don't give up on people just yet. There's someone else just like you. He's going to save you, I know it." She couldn't say much more, since Gaara's sand was beginning to tighten. She saw spots in her vision and so she closed her eyes.

The door opened suddenly, and the sand retreated back into Gaara's gourd. He looked as Neji stood in the doorway, red-faced and furious,"What's going on here?" He demanded.

He swerved his head to Hinata, who coughed and struggled to catch her breath, and softened his glare a moment, before turning to Gaara, "It would be in your best interest to leave." He threatened, "You wouldn't want to start a war between our nations, do you?"

Gaara said nothing but he glanced back at Hinata once more before leaving through the open window and into the night.

Neji scoffed after him, turning to Hinata once more, "I understand that you're not well enough to fight just yet," He started, "But the least you could do was call for help. What would have happened had I not been commanded to guard you? You would be dead, and that would be a waste of the second chance destiny has decided to grant you." Hinata said nothing, turning away from his stare.

Sighing to himself, he poured her a glass of water and begrudgingly handed it to her, waiting until she drank to speak. She finished, but then he realized he didn't know what to say, and so he sat in the unoccupied chair by her bed and pondered a moment.

Truth be told, he came of his own accord. He knew his responsibility to Hinata as her new protector, but he left to her room before Hiashi could give the order. He was curious, and his curiosity was a dangerous thing. It kept him awake at night just thinking and craving answers. And he unfortunately knew where to get them, it was just a matter of having the courage to ask.

Hinata fidgeted with her blanket, unused to such an awkward silence between her and Neji. He was always straightforward, knowing what exactly to say, but it seemed as if he were nervous, more nervous than she was, in fact, and that threw her off.

"Would you cut that out?" He scolded, "It make you look even weaker." Hinata suppressed a smile but did as she was told. It was silent once more.

"Did you really mean that?" He suddenly asked, "When you said we were the same?" He tried to sound haughty, but the need to know was prominent in the question.

Hinata thought a moment before she answered with a weak, "Yes." She cleared her throat and tried again, "In a way, we are, since we both suffer at the hands of our family's divide. You lost your father and I lost one of the only people who cared for me. Your skilled are repressed and you are chained by the curse mark, while I am chained and repressed without one.

"If you really thought that I was better off than you, simply because of my lineage, you are mistaken. Everyone there at the compound… my own family hates me for something that is out of my control, for something I cannot help but be." Her haunted, sorrowful eyes met his, staring so deeply into his soul, "Even you hate me for something you know I had no choice in."

Neji sat stone still, unable to speak for a moment. He turned away from her and closed his eyes, "Get some rest." He ordered, "You need your rest to be well again."

He had heard enough for one day, but he knew, one day, he would be back to seek answers to the new questions she prompted.

"Neji," Hinata called, picking up her book once more. He said nothing, but she knew he was listening, "When we go back to the compound, I shall request that my father give you a letter. I think it's something you should read." Neji ignored her, choosing not to answer, but it did not deter Hinata.

She smiled to herself, thinking forward into the future when they would drink tea together and love each other once more. She had to be patient. She opened her book and picked up where she left off.

Later, when she finally fell asleep, Neji would carefully take the book from her hands and think back to when those very hands would braid sunflowers in his hair.

* * *

"My Lord," A shadow called from the dark, "I have news that will interest you."

A moment of silence. "Yes?"

"There is a team, all of which seem to be a little too unextraordinary. We've collected data over time and this last report involves that of Uchiha Sasuke."

Another moment of silence. "Excellent. Please leave them here and I shall get to them when I'm finished with my transformation."

"Yes my Lord."

"Oh, and Kabuto?"

"Yes?"

"Be sure to leave this information out of the hands of Akatsuki. We don't need them meddling into anything just yet."

Kabuto smirked, "Of course not, Lord Orochimaru."


End file.
